Worth the Risk
by everdreaming3
Summary: Santana Lopez is a hot young talent agent in New York. She has the whole world in front of her, but she is held back by her own insecurities. Brittany Pierce is a woman who gives up her comfortable life to try and follow her passion. When Santana does a favor for a friend, Brittany is thrown into her life and everything turns upside down. Can they risk everything to find happiness?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So I know that there are quite a few of you out there that have been waiting patiently (or a little impatiently) for this story. I'm so sorry that it took me so long to get it finished! I had major struggles writing it, and it took a lot out of me, but I finally completed it! It was a terribly long wait, and I never expected it to take me that long, but we are finally here!**

 **I classify this as an AU, though it is pretty similar to the show just without Santana ever going to McKinley. Most of the events are the same for the glee kids with the exception of Santana being involved. And I know nothing about the talent business nor acting and the audition process, etc. so I just made all of that up. And I also wrote this in the style of a normal romance novel. Anyways, I hope you all like it!**

Chapter 1

Santana sighed and rested her forehead against her palm. She could feel the start of a headache coming on after just getting off of the phone with another casting director. She was trying to find auditions for one of her clients, but no one seemed interested.

Not that she necessarily blamed them. The girl she was trying to find a job for was horrendous at acting. But she was the daughter of one of the best friends of her boss, and she was assigned the girl so her boss could blame the lack of bookings on her instead of the girl's lack of talent. Being relatively new to the business, she understood that she got the shitty work sometimes. She just didn't want to lose her job because nobody wanted to help her out.

She couldn't wait to get out of here for the day. She had to spend hours in her tiny little office at Carter Talent. It was practically the size of her closet, but at least it had a door so the pervert down the hall couldn't peek in and stare at her all of the time.

Santana seriously wondered sometimes why she decided to go into this business in the first place. She had always loved performing, but learned long ago that she tended to put off the casting directors when she would rant at them if they didn't offer her a role or criticized her work. She figured it would be incredibly difficult to get herself a job with her attitude and fire, but it would help her out to use it to get other people work. The fact that she would get part of her clients' paycheck just for trying to bully and coerce people into letting her clients audition for them was a bonus.

She had one more meeting this afternoon and then she was planning on leaving. She was doing a favor for one of her clients. One of her clients who she actually kind of considered a friend. Sometimes at least.

Santana wasn't sure how this meeting was going to go, which was another reason why her headache was getting worse. She had absolutely no idea who this girl was or what kind of skills she had. Rachel just told her that the girl was a former member of her high school glee club and was looking to get some acting work. She was apparently new to the city and Rachel had promised her a meeting with Santana.

Santana had argued with Rachel, not wanting to promise the girl anything. She had the right to choose who she wanted to work with (apart from the unfortunate boss's friend's daughter thing) and she didn't want her 'friend' guaranteeing someone that she could find her work or even _try_ to find her work.

But Rachel was adamant. Santana felt obligated, since Rachel was both one of her first clients and one of the first friends she made in New York. So she had agreed to meet one Ms. Brittany Pierce. She hoped she wouldn't regret it.

Her phone rang, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Santana Lopez," she answered.

"Hi Santana! It's Rachel," the voice on the other end said.

Santana fought off a groan. "Look Berry, I don't want to listen to you bitch about the co-stars in your musical. You begged me to get you that audition and you can just deal with it. I don't have time for your drama today," she told the diva, cutting off any sort of rant that may have been coming.

"I'm sorry that my life's troubles irritate you Santana," Rachel said, sounding a little miffed. "But that actually wasn't what I was calling about."

"Well what is it then?" Santana asked impatiently, checking the time to see how much longer before her next meeting.

"I was just calling about Brittany."

"What?" Santana asked, a little confused.

"Brittany Pierce. The girl I asked you to meet with today. Please don't tell me you forgot and blew her off," Rachel huffed.

"No, Berry, I did not blow her off," Santana sighed. "I just meant what the hell are you calling about Brittany for?"

"Well… it's just that, I wanted to give you a warning about her."

Santana froze, dreading what was going to come out of her client/sometimes friend's mouth. "She better not be some psycho or talentless hack," she warned.

"No, no, nothing like that," Rachel promised. "She is just a little bit of an odd character, so to speak. She is really sweet, but a little spacey. Just please do me a favor and try to be nice to her and don't treat her with your usual charm?"

"And what is so wrong with my charm, Rachel?" Santana asked, her voice threatening.

She was just joking with the other woman, but she liked to put her on edge. She knew that she was viewed as a bitch by most people, and that was something that she was okay with because it got her job done and kept people at arm's length. People that she wasn't comfortable with asking too many questions and getting too close to her.

"Absolutely nothing," Rachel backtracked, not wanting to upset the woman who had a huge hand in her career. "I am just asking you to maybe overlook her quirkiness and give her a chance."

"I can't make any promises, but I will give her a chance to impress me. It is up to her how she uses that chance," Santana informed her.

She heard Rachel sigh a little into the phone. "Okay Santana. I really do appreciate this. Brittany has been a pretty good friend and I just wanted to help her out a little. I owe you one."

"I think you owe me several now, Berry," Santana said. "But she should be here soon, so I should go so she doesn't think I sit on the phone all day talking to you. Although, with as much as you talk, it could be true."

"Oh, whatever," Rachel protested. "I didn't hear you complaining when my dialogue over the timeline of the career of the amazing Barbra Streisand distracted that pervert in your agency long enough for you to slip out before he made a comment about your boobs hanging out when your shirt ripped that one day."

"I'll give you that one," Santana laughed a little, truly grateful to the other woman for her help that day. "I'll talk to you later Rach."

"Bye," Rachel said, the smile evident in her voice as Santana's friendly side made an appearance.

Santana hung up the phone and rested her aching head back against her chair. She really wanted to go home and relax. Maybe take a hot bath and drink some wine. Those were her eventful nights nowadays.

Back in college, she was usually getting drunk at a party and finding some guy to hook up with for the night or maybe start dating him for a few weeks. After years of doing that throughout high school and college and that ever present, gaping hole inside of her never disappearing, Santana finally realized that no guy would ever be able to make that emptiness go away.

Her senior year in college found her finally admitting to herself that the lingering looks she gave to other girls were more than just admiring their make-up or their outfit. The fluttery feelings in her stomach when she looked at girls wasn't jealousy or disdain, as she had told herself for years. It was attraction. It was desire. It was something she never felt once for any guy.

Once Santana admitted to herself that she was a lesbian, everything changed. She stopped dating guys. She stopped dating, period. She told her friends and family that it was because she was concentrating on finishing her final year of school. After school was over, she said it was because she was concentrating on her career. Now, two years after college, Santana had yet to go on a single date with a woman.

It wasn't that she was scared… well, actually it was. She was terrified. She was terrified of what her family would say, especially her grandmother who was devoutly Catholic. She had been so far in the closet for so long and had put up her act so convincingly for years that she didn't know how to break out of that pattern. She was too nervous to take the step to start dating women. She didn't even know how to tell if a woman was interested in her, much less flirt with one. Guys had been so easy. She just needed to give them a wink and maybe show a little cleavage, and they were all over her. She controlled their interactions.

Girls terrified her, because they had the ability to make her feel something she hadn't felt before. Something she wanted desperately, but was still so afraid of. She had no control over those kinds of feelings, and that meant that women had the ability to leave her breathless, confused, completely upside-down, and broken-hearted.

Santana was just clueless when it came to dating a woman, which was why she was still single after nearly three years and hadn't even set foot into a gay bar, much less kissed a woman. She knew she would have to get over it soon and try to put herself out there. She could not live like she had been forever. Maybe she could start by telling some people about her first.

The thought alone made her heart beat a little harder in fear. She knew most people wouldn't care, especially her friends like Rachel and Kurt (who was gayer than a rainbow clad Elton John). She just didn't know how to get over this fear. Her head was hurting worse now just thinking about it all.

Just then a knock on her door sounded. The taps seemed to match the slight throbs of her head, but she pushed the pain aside.

"Come in," she called.

Santana looked up as her door opened and her breath caught as the blonde-haired woman came into view. Santana took in the freckles over tanned cheeks and the small smile before her eyes drifted down to see a loose, off the shoulder top showing the hint of a delectable collarbone and black leggings over long, toned legs accentuated by a pair of bright blue heels that matched the top. Her eyes snapped back up to the girl's face as she shyly crossed the doorway. Her heart fluttered and her stomach did a little flip that was stronger than anything she had felt before.

She had been around beautiful people before. It was part of her business. But Santana could swear that this was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

She became aware that several seconds had passed while she was just sitting there staring. Santana had never reacted this way to anyone before, man or woman. She was sure she looked like a fool, and she could feel heat rising to her cheeks. She was grateful that her complexion couldn't really show a blush, but it couldn't hide the way she stuttered over her words.

"Hi, I must be Brittany," she said, then realized what had come out of her mouth and she hastily tried to correct herself. "I mean, you're Santana. Jesus."

"Actually, I'm Brittany," the woman said. "And I am supposed to be meeting someone named Santana Lopez."

Santana mentally smacked herself and took a breath to try to make her embarrassment go away. She stood up from her desk, wiping her suddenly sweaty hands discretely under the guise of adjusting the bottom of her tight green dress, and walked toward the woman, what she hoped was a polite smile on her face and not some stupid, dopey grin.

"I'm Santana," she said confidently. "I'm sorry about that Brittany. My brain just got lost there for a second."

"Oh, I've had that happen," Brittany said pleasantly. "I lost my brain for a week once, but then Lord Tubbington found it in my underwear drawer, so I was okay after that."

Santana frowned a little. She wasn't sure if that was supposed to be a joke of some kind or if the girl was actually trying to be serious. Her deadpan response was confusing.

"Well, that's good," she said, just deciding to move on. She stretched out her hand to Brittany to shake it, and the blonde took her hand and gave it a little grasp in greeting. "It's nice to meet you."

Brittany smiled shyly, a little hint of blush on her cheeks as Santana's hand was held in hers. Santana shook off the feeling of tingles that shot up through her arm at their contact. She cleared her throat and took her hand back, looking away bashfully as she indicated that Brittany take the chair on the other side of her desk.

Santana walked back behind her desk and sat down, suddenly grateful for the expanse of wood and brass between them.

"So, Brittany, what brings you here today?" Santana asked, putting on her professional mask.

"Well, I took a cab," Brittany said nervously, then shook her head as she realized that wasn't what Santana meant when the brunette gave her another confused look. "But obviously you don't care about that. Um, I want to be an actress."

"I'll be honest," Santana said, trying not to concentrate on the fact that the other girl's nervousness was actually really adorable. On anyone else she would have already snapped at them and told them to leave. Santana was clearly messed up. "You have the looks, certainly, but I don't know anything about you to say whether or not you have a realistic shot at achieving that goal. Rachel, unsurprisingly, didn't really tell me much about you since she usually can't talk about anyone but herself."

"Yeah, Rachel is kind of an Eggo maniac," Brittany said, rolling her eyes.

Santana tried to figure out what the hell frozen waffles had to do with anything when she realized what Brittany must have meant.

"You mean egomaniac," she supplied. Rachel really was right. This girl was definitely an oddball. Santana wasn't sure why she hadn't kicked her out already. Oh wait, the little fluttering in her heart that the girl had caused was the reason why.

"Sure," Brittany said with a casual shrug. She was clearly not concerned with her mistake.

Santana's brow furrowed as she studied the blonde across from her. She really could not get tell if this was an act or if this was how she really was.

"So, do you have a résumé or some headshots?" Santana asked, trying to get this meeting on point.

"Oh sorry, I don't like guns so I haven't shot anybody before. Is that a requirement? Because if it is I don't think I could do that."

Was this girl for real? Santana could swear she was getting pranked right now. She would so make Berry sorry the next time she saw her.

"Pictures," Santana explained, feeling her headache throb again. "Do you have any pictures of yourself? Those are headshots. And a résumé highlighting the type of work you've done in the past."

"Oh!" Brittany exclaimed in realization, her cheeks reddening as she leaned down to rummage in the bag she had brought with her. "Yeah, I have those, sorry. I'm better with numbers than words."

Santana smiled a little at the girl's obvious embarrassment. She could understand that Brittany was probably nervous and it was making her mix things up. Hell, Santana did the same thing when the blonde had walked into the room, so she couldn't hold it against her.

Brittany found what she was looking for and handed Santana a couple of professional pictures and a piece of paper with her work history. The pictures were definitely good, Santana had to admit. The first was one of Brittany in a dance pose, her tight clothing enhancing the lines of her muscular legs and stomach. The other was a traditional headshot with a close-up of Brittany's face. Santana found herself staring at both pictures, and she honestly couldn't help but feel glad that she would be able to keep them.

"Why don't you tell me about yourself," Santana suggested as she prepared to look at the girl's work history.

"Well, I'm from Lima, Ohio. I was in the glee club where I was one of the lead dancers and helped with choreography. I did a few musicals in high school, though I was just in the supporting roles. After graduation, I went to MIT and graduated a couple of years ago. I didn't do as much with the performing then, but I did do a few plays and kept up with my dance lessons," Brittany told her.

Santana's head shot up and her eyebrows rose when Brittany said she went to MIT. She almost would have thought it was a joke, but there was something about the girl that had Santana believing her without question. A quick glance at her résumé showed that it was listed on there.

"Wow, MIT," Santana said, letting her see that she was impressed. "What did you study there?"

"Mathematics and physics," Brittany said, smiling a little in pride.

"And yet you want to be an actress?" Santana asked incredulously. She couldn't really understand why a woman so clearly intelligent would want to be an actress.

"Yeah. Why not?" Brittany asked with another little shrug and a grin. Her grin lit up her face and Santana noticed then just how blue her eyes were. They sparkled in the crappy lighting in Santana's office, and she found herself mesmerized.

Why not indeed? Santana found herself wanting to do everything she could to help Brittany out. There was just something about her that called to Santana and made her want to make the blonde's dreams come true.

Santana broke her gaze away from the blue orbs and looked back down at the paper in her hands. "You don't have a lot of acting history on here, and I'm sorry to say that your work after college won't give you a leg up on auditions. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing," she was quick to reassure her, seeing the slightly crestfallen look on Brittany's face. "Rachel did tell me that she thinks you're one of the best dancers she has ever seen, so I can definitely sell that to potential casting directors."

"Will that help?" Brittany asked.

"Well, having dancing talent doesn't necessarily help unless you are looking for roles that require dancing. And those roles are usually in musicals or on Broadway. But it definitely doesn't hurt to have something like that in your back pocket," Santana explained. "And you were in glee club, so I am assuming you can sing?"

Brittany looked down at her lap shyly. "I can carry a tune, but my voice isn't that great," she said quietly. "I'm definitely not Rachel Berry or anything, but I don't sound terrible."

"Okay. We can list it as a talent, but not make it a major point," Santana said. "Are you more interested in doing movies and TV, or were you wanting more plays and theater productions?"

"I am willing to do whatever to get my foot in the door," Brittany said. "Well, not _whatever_ , but, you know, like whatever acting wise."

Santana gave a little laugh. "Don't worry, the casting directors I work with know better than to hit on one of my clients," she said. "After one guy tried to insinuate that I could get one of my clients a job if I slept with him, I verbally castrated him and basically threatened that if he tried that shit again then he would be lucky to be able to piss, much less get it up to do anything. Now everyone in the business around this area knows not to mess with me or my clients."

Brittany's eyes widened a little, the hint of a smirk on her face. "I guess I should make sure I don't hit on you then," she teased.

Santana swallowed hard, her hands clenching a little on the paper she had beneath them and crumpling it. Her eyes darted to the corner of the room, looking everywhere but at Brittany. The thought of the other woman flirting with her or hitting on her made Santana's stomach do flips and her heart pound in both excitement and fear.

"It- I… uh- it's…" Santana stammered. She cleared her throat, forcing herself to look back at Brittany who was watching her with interest. "Just so you do know, if you end up signing with our agency, there is a strict non-fraternization clause between clients and agents."

Brittany's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Not that it matters or anything, but agents can't date their clients," she explained.

Realization came over Brittany. "Oh," she said, and Santana could have sworn she heard the barest hint of disappointment in her voice. "Okay."

Santana shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with the sudden shift of atmosphere. "Um, where were we?" she muttered to herself, thinking back to where they were before they got sidetracked. "Uh, yeah, so if you're open to film and stage, then that opens up the amount of auditions I can send you on."

Brittany nodded in understanding.

"The fact remains though, that I have no idea if you have any talent for acting," Santana went on. "I usually scout out the clients I sign, so this is kind of a unique situation for me. Rachel recommended you to me, so I haven't had the chance to see any of your work."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you would need to," Brittany hurried to apologize, looking upset. "Rachel just told me to come and talk to you and-"

"It's okay," Santana interrupted, trying to calm her down. "Don't worry about it. Rachel kind of sprung this all on me, too. But it is easy to fix. If you wouldn't mind maybe doing some readings for me later this week, I can see what kind of roles may be best for you and what is out there that might be a good fit. I recommend getting Rachel to help you out with a few different kinds of scenes. If you want, I can talk to her and get it all set up, but I do recommend that you rehearse with her. Berry is annoying, but one thing she does know is how to critique a performance."

Brittany laughed, clearly knowing exactly what Santana was talking about. "You didn't have to deal with her in high school when she was the lead of our glee club," Brittany said in amusement. "She was always quick to tell everyone what she thought of how they did on a number."

Santana laughed with the blonde, picturing a younger version of her friend snootily offering her notes on ways to improve their vocal performance or stage presence. "Trust me, I have to deal with her freaking out after every audition I send her on, so I know how she can get. But she is a pretty good friend, so I can put up with her."

"She is," Brittany said softly, a small smile on her lips and her gaze fixed on Santana.

Santana's heart fluttered again and she looked down at the crumpled paper on her desk to distract herself from the woman who seemed to keep flustering her. God, what was wrong with her? This was why she didn't even try to approach women she found attractive.

"Um, so yeah… we can set some readings up this week. And if you wanted to prepare a song so I could see just what we are working with there, that would be great," Santana went on. "You don't need to dance, since I trust Rachel on that, but I think the scenes and the song would be good."

"Okay, that sounds good," Brittany said happily. "Is there anything else?"

Santana was able to look up at the other woman again, who was looking at her with gratefulness. "Not at the moment. If I decide after the readings to go ahead and sign you, we can discuss a contract and my fees and what exactly I can do for your career. Is that okay?"

Brittany nodded, her eyes glittering as she smiled. "That's perfect. Thank you so much Santana," she gushed.

Santana smiled genuinely at Brittany, liking the sound of her name coming from the woman's lips. "You're welcome. But all I'm doing is giving you a shot. You still have to do the work and impress me," she said, not unkindly.

"I know, and I promise I will show you that I would make a good client for you. I just really appreciate you taking the time to give me a chance," Brittany said sincerely.

Santana nodded, and opened her top desk drawer to pull out one of her cards. She reached over the top of the desk, extending the little rectangle of thick, glossy paper to Brittany. "Here is my card," she said. "My numbers and email are listed on there, just in case you have any questions or need to get in touch with me for any reason. Is your number listed on your résumé?"

Brittany nodded. "Yeah, my cell is on there as well as my email address."

"Good. I will get in touch with Rachel and get a good time for her to do a reading with you, and I will call you to let you know when I've got something set up." Santana stood up, and Brittany quickly grabbed her bag from the floor and did the same.

"Okay, I'm looking forward to it," Brittany told her, the smile on her face widening.

Santana walked around her desk and Brittany walked over to meet her by the office door. Santana stood awkwardly for a moment as Brittany got close to her. She could catch the barest hint of Brittany's perfume, and it smelled so good. She wanted to get even closer and bury her face in the other woman's neck, but that would definitely be unprofessional. Not to mention all kinds of awkward.

So Santana extended her hand out for another handshake, and Brittany looked down at it for a moment. The blonde's smile changed, but she took Santana's hand and shook it gently. "Thank you again," she said quietly, meeting Santana's eyes. "I will see you later this week."

Santana's mind had stuttered again at the feeling of Brittany's hand in her own again. Her stomach was doing that weird thing again and she had the tingles that she had before. "Yeah, I'll see you later," she said, her voice a little breathy.

Brittany bit her lower lip, and her eyes sparkled. She slowly removed her hand from Santana's, letting Santana recover enough to open the door. Brittany started to walk out, making it just on the other side of the doorway before she turned her head back and gave Santana one more smile, which she returned, before walking away.

Santana let out a heavy breath right after she closed the door. She leaned against it, her legs feeling suddenly weak. Never had anyone left her feeling this flustered. She was Santana Lopez. She didn't get flustered. She was the one who left people stammering and nervous, not the other way around.

At least not until Brittany Pierce, apparently. Santana pushed herself off of the door and walked back to her chair. She plopped down heavily, groaning at how much of an idiot she must have looked like to the gorgeous blonde. She was truly shit at this whole interacting with women she was attracted to thing. She could feel the slight dampness of the sweat under her boobs that she got when she was truly nervous. Brittany had done that to her.

All she wanted to do right now was go home and open that bottle of wine she had been thinking about earlier. Maybe it would help her calm down and forget this weird feeling that had invaded her body since Brittany had walked into her office. She had no idea if it would work, but she was sure as hell willing to give it a shot.

Santana didn't know if she would be signing Brittany as a client this week. If she did, there was certainly no way that Santana could dwell on the overwhelming attraction she felt for her. If she didn't… well, it wasn't like Santana really had the guts to hit on Brittany anyways to see if maybe the attraction was mutual.

The only thing Santana was sure of was that Brittany Pierce could be big trouble for her, no matter what the end of the week might hold.

 **A/N 2: So there is chapter one! We already got a meeting between our two girls and Santana is definitely affected! What do you think Brittany was feeling?**

 **Thanks for everyone who had been awaiting this fic for sticking with me! What do you guys think? Like it, hate it? Any other thoughts?**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Brittany walked out of Carter Talent with a considerably lighter bounce in her step than when she had walked in not even thirty minutes before. She had gone into the meeting with more than a little apprehension, in large part due to what she had heard about Santana Lopez.

Rachel had warned her that Santana had little patience for her time being wasted and had a smart mouth and a nasty attitude (although Rachel said that usually her attitude was focused on people who did deserve it). Brittany didn't do well with confrontation, so she had been incredibly nervous that she was going to do something to piss off the woman who could hold the future of her acting career in her hands.

Brittany's best friend, Quinn, had met the talent agent a couple of times when she had visited Rachel and Kurt in the city and she confirmed that Santana was a fiery personality and very guarded. Basically, the complete opposite of Brittany.

When Brittany had opened the door to Santana Lopez's office and saw the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, her heart jumped into her throat and she was afraid that her normally well trained limbs wouldn't work. She could have sworn that Santana had been surprised by her as well, and the woman's verbal mishap was so reminiscent of Brittany's own that she immediately became more comfortable.

At least until Santana stood up and Brittany saw the smoking hot body encased in a tight dress and legs highlighted by black high heels. And when Santana took her hand, Brittany felt sparks shoot up her arm from where their skin touched. She immediately became flustered and made some sort of weird joke that she was sure made Santana think she was crazy.

After that, Brittany was back to being nervous, and Santana became intimidating again. She was the woman that she needed to impress in order to hopefully get picked up and get some acting gigs. Santana actually was being really nice to her though, and her bumbling was overlooked by the agent. Brittany was incredibly grateful, since she was terrified that Santana would get irritated with her over her tendency to get words mixed up in her head.

Overall, she thought the meeting went well. She had the promise of another meeting with the beautiful talent agent, and all she had to do was prepare some scenes and sing a song. She could easily do that. Plus, seeing Santana again was definite motivation to work hard to impress her. Not only for her career's sake, but because she didn't want to see Santana's disappointment in her for any reason.

Brittany knew that she was attracted to Santana. She had suspected she was bisexual since high school, although being best friends with the prim and proper Quinn Fabray had made her wary of experimenting to figure it out. That and the fact that Lima, Ohio was not exactly friendly to the LGBT community. Kurt had gone through hell for being out in high school, and Brittany was already bullied enough for the fact that people thought she was stupid. She didn't want anything to make it worse. Since she had a hard time standing up for herself, she just hid it. She dated Artie and Sam and a couple of other guys in high school, and kept her attraction for girls only in her mind.

At least until she went to college. She was able to explore a little more, and, after making out with several girls at parties, she could most definitely confirm that the tingles she got from kissing other women was proof that she was indeed sexually attracted to both men and women. The only thing was that she never really found any woman she liked enough to date and take things further.

In fact, she only casually dated a couple of guys in college. She was so focused on school that everything else kind of took a backseat to her studies. It wasn't until Quinn said something during her junior year about how much she had changed and she never did anything fun anymore that Brittany realized it was true. So she decided to do some plays on top of the dance classes she could never give up. She found a renewed love for performing.

After she graduated, she got offered a prestigious job in the research department of a huge firm. Her performing got put aside again as work became her main priority. After a couple of years, she realized that she hated what she was doing. She was almost robotic in her routine. Math had become her life. And she didn't like what she had become.

So she decided to drop everything and take a shot at something different. She had loved acting and dancing, so she figured she would try getting some acting work. Brittany always figured that if she didn't have any luck after a year or so (how long she figured she could comfortably live off of her savings), then she would go back to math.

She knew New York would be a good place to start. She contacted Rachel, who had just gotten a gig in a Broadway show, and Rachel was enthusiastic about Brittany coming down to the city. Rachel recommended meeting with Santana, which brought Brittany to where she was today.

She really hoped that Santana would take her on as a client. She wanted to get someone who would work hard to get her roles, and she could tell that Santana worked her ass off for her clients.

The only drawback was that she would have to put her crush aside on the gorgeous agent. Brittany had a strong suspicion that Santana was attracted to her, too, but the fact that they would not be able to explore that if they had a working relationship meant that Brittany would just have to deal with looking but not touching.

But she wanted to touch, so badly. She couldn't remember feeling this way about anyone else before. Not any of her boyfriends or any of the girls she had kissed. That feeling of being struck completely dumb just with a look, or becoming frozen just with a touch, only to feel more alive than she ever had.

And she had only just met Santana.

It was insane, but she wanted to get to know Santana. Everything about her. Her favorite color and her favorite food. What she liked to do in her free time. Her fears, her dreams, and where she saw herself in the future. How her skin felt against hers and how her lips tasted. What her hair felt like as it slid between her fingers. What she looked like when she came.

Brittany was in trouble.

Just then her phone rang, startling her out of her thoughts over the beautiful Ms. Lopez. She pulled it out of her bag and saw that it was Rachel calling her. Probably to see how her meeting had gone.

"Hi, Rachel," she greeted her friend.

"Brittany, hi!" Rachel enthusiastically replied. "How was your meeting with Santana? Was she mean to you? Did she sign you? Do you have any auditions lined up?"

"It was good. No. And not yet to the last two," Brittany answered.

Rachel paused as she tried to figure out which of Brittany's answers went to which question. "So she didn't sign you?"

"Not yet, no," Brittany said. "She wants me to prepare some scenes and do some readings for her so she can see how I do and what kind of roles would be best. And she wants me to do a song, too."

"Well, I can understand that," Rachel mused. "Did you want some help doing your scenes? I am more than happy to offer my expert advice and assistance for your preparations. And, of course, I would be willing to offer my help with your vocal practice so we can highlight your unique musical capabilities."

Brittany snickered quietly at the diva's expected offer. "Santana actually wanted you to do the scenes with me. She said that she would get in touch with you to see what time works best for you later this week."

"I am not surprised that Santana realizes my knowledge and experience will help you," Rachel said. "Santana may be hard to deal with sometimes, but she does know this business. And she will go to hell and back to make sure her clients are given the best shot. You definitely couldn't do better than her as your agent."

Brittany thought so too. "I just hope she likes what I can do."

"She has a good eye for talent, Brittany," Rachel said. "And one thing you are is talented."

Brittany smiled, pleased with the compliment from her former fellow glee club member. Rachel really was all about herself, so those rare times when she offered genuine praise for someone else really meant a lot.

"Thanks, Rachel," she said.

"It's no problem. I am quite capable of recognizing talent in others and making it known. Now, I have several scenes that I am sure would showcase your particular acting talent. And I know a couple of songs that would be ideal for you. I know you prefer to do Britney, but we may want to branch out and try something different."

"Sure," Brittany said, knowing that saying anything otherwise would be futile. She would look up some of her own scenes and find her own song to perform too, and she knew she would be able to convince Rachel to at least let her practice them just in case. Then she could decide which ones she would want to do from there.

Brittany took notice of her surroundings as she walked and realized she didn't exactly know where she was. She started to panic a little, tuning Rachel out as she tried to figure out where she needed to go.

"Hey, Rachel, I need to go," Brittany interrupted. "I will talk to you later and set up a good time to get together."

"Okay, that sounds fine," Rachel said. "Talk to you later."

"Bye," Brittany said, then ended the call.

She looked around her, trying to find some landmarks that looked familiar. She had only moved to the city a couple of weeks ago, and though she had visited a couple of times in the past, she didn't know the city that well. The last thing she wanted was to get lost and end up in a bad part of the city.

Thankfully she recognized the same homeless man sitting at the corner of a black building that she had seen on her way to the talent agency, so she knew she wasn't lost. She made her way back to the subway and was happy that she navigated the route to her apartment without any hiccups.

She entered the empty one-bedroom apartment, hating the silence that seemed so deafening around her. She felt so lonely for such a long time. Maybe she should get a cat. She missed her childhood cats a lot. They were too old and comfortable with her parents to consider moving now. She just wondered if she would have enough time to spend with a kitten. She didn't want it to be lonely too.

Brittany headed to her bedroom and settled on her bed. She kicked off her heels, sighing in relief, and flopped backwards on the mattress. She let herself relax, finally, and the tension from her nerves floated out of her body.

She really did think that the meeting went well. Santana seemed interested in making her a client, but it would all come down to how much Brittany impressed her later this week. She was confident enough in her acting abilities, and she knew she would take Rachel's notes to heart in order to bring her A-game.

What she really wanted to do though, was prepare a song and dance that was going to knock Santana's socks off. Her voice wasn't the best. She recognized that. So she wanted to wow Santana with her moves to showcase what kind of performance she could bring to the table. The fact that she maybe wanted to be a little sexy for the woman as well was just secondary.

Not that she wanted to use her sex appeal to help her get signed. Absolutely not! She just wanted to see if Santana maybe kinda was attracted to her. She couldn't help herself. If the brunette wasn't interested, then she would just be showing what she could do. If she was… well, then she would figure it out later.

Brittany knew she should probably get up and do some preparation for her audition. But she hadn't gotten a lot of sleep last night with her anxiety about her meeting keeping her up. She decided to lay there for a little longer and relax.

The next thing Brittany knew, she was opening her eyes to a much dimmer room. She twisted on the bed to view the bright red numbers of her alarm clock. It was already after 8pm. She had slept for nearly three hours. She groaned and stretched, forcing herself to get up. She needed to eat some dinner and she needed to get some work done so Santana didn't think she wasn't committed to this.

Brittany changed into some yoga pants and a tank top before finding a hairband and throwing her hair up into a messy ponytail. She went back out into her living room to where she had dropped her purse and dug out her phone to call for some pizza. She wasn't surprised to see a missed call from Rachel, who no doubt wanted to call to talk about the scenes she had picked out for Brittany. She was, however, a little surprised to see missed texts from both Quinn and her mom.

Quinn had thought she was crazy for quitting her job to go to New York and try to become an actress. She argued that Brittany was going to regret her decision when she was struggling to land roles in a business oversaturated with dreamers already. But Brittany couldn't be swayed, and her best friend gave up her arguments, ultimately saying that Brittany would eventually change her mind when she realized that being an actress wasn't a stable career choice.

That's why Brittany was surprised to see Quinn's text asking how her meeting with Santana went and that she hoped it went well. She replied that it went well and that she will find out later in the week after doing her audition for the agent.

Brittany's mom's text just told her to call when she got the chance. So Brittany placed an order for a pizza first, and ignored the call from Rachel. She could always call her back later tonight if she wanted to. She dialed her mother instead.

"Hi, sweetie," her mom's voice rang through the connection.

"Hey, mom," Brittany greeted. "What's up?"

"Not your father, I'll tell you that," Whitney replied.

"Mom," Brittany whined in disgust. "Why would you say that?"

"Well, it's the truth. He's been having a little trouble in the bedroom recently, and-"

"Mom! I don't want to hear about that!" Brittany interrupted, cutting her mother's uncomfortable sentence off. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "What did you want me to call for?"

"Oh! I wanted to see how your meeting with that girl went," Whitney explained. "What was her name again? Samantha?"

"Santana," she corrected, her voice a little dreamy. "Her name's Santana."

"That's an interesting name. Sounds like one of those celebrity kid's names or something. Are her parents famous?"

"I don't know mom, I didn't exactly ask about her parents when trying to get her to sign me as a client. I didn't think it was something important."

"I guess it doesn't matter," her mom said. "Did she sign you?"

"Not yet. She wants me to do an audition of sorts first, which won't be until later this week."

"Oh, okay. Well that's not a bad thing though, right? She might still take you as a client?"

"Yeah, if I impress her then it is a pretty good chance she will," Brittany said. "I'm going to do some work with Rachel to prepare for it so I should have a good shot."

"Rachel? That annoying girl from your glee club?"

"Yes, you know Rachel mom. And she is only annoying sometimes," Brittany paused. "Well, most of the time. But, still, she can be a good friend and she was the one to get me the meeting with Santana."

"That was nice of her, sweetie. Hold on, your father wants to talk to you."

Brittany heard some jostling of the phone as it got handed from her mother to her father.

"Who's this?"

"Hi, dad!" Brittany greeted happily. She really missed her dad. She related to him so much, so it was hardest to leave him behind when she went off to school.

"Brittany? This is perfect! I wanted to talk to you," Pierce exclaimed. "I thought you had something big going on today. I didn't get that wrong, did I?"

Brittany smiled. She knew her dad would remember that she had her meeting with a potential talent agent today.

"No, you got it right. I had a meeting with a talent agent today," Brittany said.

"You don't need to buy talent, Brittany. You already have plenty," Pierce told her.

"Thank you, but Santana is supposed to help me find jobs not give me more talent."

"Did she find you a job?"

"Not yet, no. She wants to see what I can do before she starts looking for jobs for me," she explained.

"I respect that. I'm sure you will do great, sweetheart. You will be in my TV in no time. Though I still don't know how they can shrink you that much to get in there," he said, making Brittany giggle.

"I know, it is so weird right? It's got to be magic," she said, grinning.

"Then you will be perfect, because I know my little girl is magical," he told her, and Brittany could hear the emotion in his voice.

Her dad loved her so much, even if he wasn't her biological father. And she couldn't possibly love another man more than the man who raised her as his own.

"I love you, dad."

"I love you, too," he answered. "Your mom wants the phone back. Good luck!"

"Bye."

"Brittany?" Whitney's voice came back on the line.

"Yeah, I'm still here."

"Okay. I just wanted to make sure I told you good luck with your audition later this week. Don't let this woman walk all over you, and make sure to dance because you know that will impress her."

"I'm planning on it. And thank you, mom," Brittany said, pleased with her parents' support.

"You're welcome. And make sure to call us and let us know how it goes!"

"I will. Bye."

She disconnected the call just in time for a knock on her door. She had totally forgotten about her pizza. She scrambled to dig out money and get the door. Once she paid and the delivery guy was on his way, she settled on the couch with her pepperoni pizza and took out a slice.

She relaxed into the cushions and looked around her stark apartment. She hadn't had enough time to really decorate much, but she had put up some photographs. She had dabbled in photography a little in high school, mostly as a side project for when she wasn't filming Fondue for Two or doing glee or Cheerios. She really started getting into it after she graduated from MIT and was working. It gave her an escape, and she found out that she liked it a lot.

In fact, she had taken the pictures that she had brought with to her meeting with Santana. She had experimented a lot with doing action shots of her dancing, and she had come out with some amazing shots. She would like to start doing more photography, particularly of subjects other than herself, but she hadn't found the time since she moved. She could just imagine going out in the city and finding some amazing pictures, either of people or places or other things. Maybe once she found out if Santana was going to sign her as a client then she would take one of her cameras out and take some shots.

She really would like to take pictures of Santana. The woman was so beautiful, and Brittany could imagine getting some gorgeous shots of her. Maybe some in black and white, but mostly in color. Brittany would love to have one of the Latina with a little bashful smile. And she would really like to have one with the look that she swore she saw in Santana's eyes when she first looked at her. But, most of all, Brittany pictured some artistic shots of Santana with maybe a little less clothing, her hair loose and flowing, her body completely relaxed and…

Okay, she really needed to stop thinking about that! It was not helping matters any.

She finished a second slice of pizza before putting it away. She checked her phone and saw that Quinn had texted her back asking for details of the meeting. She figured she owed her best friend a call anyways, so she dialed the number.

"So how'd it go?" Quinn asked in lieu of a greeting.

"Geez, hello to you too Quinn," Brittany chastised playfully.

"Hi, Brittany," her friend said, slight annoyance in her tone. "Now, how'd it go? Did she yell at you? Was she mean? Because if she was, I will come down there and take her down, I swear."

Brittany laughed a little at Quinn's protectiveness. "No, she didn't yell. She was perfectly professional and really nice. I liked her a lot."

 _That_ was an understatement, but Quinn didn't need to know how badly she was crushing on the woman she had just met.

"You aren't just saying that, right? Because the Santana I met I wouldn't exactly call _nice_."

"Well, maybe you just saw her on bad days or something. Or maybe she just put her guard up since you don't exactly come off as warm around new people," Brittany said. Quinn was a great friend and a wonderful person, but she could be a little snobbish and cold around people she didn't really know. Brittany got the feeling that Santana had a hard time opening up to new people as well, so the two women would probably not have gotten off on the right foot.

"Thanks, Britt. Nice to see you think so highly of me," Quinn joked. She knew how she could be sometimes, so she didn't hold it against Brittany.

"Yeah, yeah. I just think you were maybe too hard on Santana. It isn't like you know her," Brittany said.

"No, I don't. But, Britt, it isn't like you really know her either," Quinn argued. "You just met her today and yet you are willing to declare that you like her and want to have this woman in charge of your career."

"Rachel swears by her. It's not like she is a crook or anything. And Rachel's career is doing well, so I think Santana would be good for my career," Brittany countered.

Quinn sighed. "I know she has been good for Rachel's career. And Rachel says that she is actually a really great person, though I haven't seen it. I'm just worried about you. You tend to trust people too easily, and I don't want you to think Santana is going to suddenly get you in movies in a week or something. Just, please, think about things."

Brittany felt the pain of her friend's words hit her. She knew Quinn worried about her, but she was a grown woman and could take care of herself. Quinn was treating her like a child.

"Quinn, even though it was a common rumor back in high school, I am not an idiot," she said quietly. "I know Santana can't deliver on promises like that, nor has she even made any promises like that. She has been nothing but cautious so far, and has presented realistic expectations of what she could do for me. I do trust her, and not because I trust too easily. I trust her because I've seen what she has done for Rachel, and Rachel and Kurt both trust her. I trust her because she didn't jump in and make ridiculous promises and try to convince me to sign any contracts without even knowing what my talents are. I trust her because she has been incredibly nice to me even though everybody told me that she wasn't very nice. She is professional and I can only think that she could do great things for my acting career, if she gives me a chance. So, please, since you are my best friend… trust _me_."

"You're right," Quinn replied, sounding guilty. "I'm sorry, Britt. I've been a bitch about all of this, and I should be supportive. It is something you want and you are actually really good at reading people. So if you think Santana is the best for achieving your dreams, then I hope she signs you on as a client. I trust that you know what is best for you."

Brittany smiled a little, knowing that her best friend was finally supporting her in her career changes. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she replied, and Brittany could hear the smile in her voice. There was a short silence before Quinn spoke again. "So she was actually nice to you?"

Brittany laughed. "Yeah, she was." She thought back on the meeting and how Santana's laugh made her heart lighter and her smile made her heart beat faster and how Santana was kind of nervous and confident at the same time. Santana had struck a chord deep within her, and Brittany wanted to get to know more about her. "She was pretty great, actually."

"Oh my God, you're attracted to her," Quinn breathed in realization.

"It doesn't matter," Brittany was quick to answer. Quinn knew about her bisexuality. Brittany came out to her in college, not being able to keep it from her best friend anymore. Quinn was perfectly okay with it, as Brittany figured she would be since she accepted Kurt without a problem in high school.

"Yes it does! Brittany, you can't have a relationship with someone who can control your career!" Quinn exclaimed.

"I know! I know, Quinn. Nothing will happen between us, and it is just a crush," Brittany lied. It wasn't just a crush. It was a very strong attraction, the likes of which Brittany had never felt before in her life. But she knew nothing could happen if Santana signed her.

"Britt, don't get hung up on this woman. It will bring you nothing but bad things. Besides, I am pretty sure she is completely straight," Quinn said.

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that," Brittany said without thinking. She held her breath, knowing that it was a mistake to even bring that up.

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked, her voice calculating.

Brittany sighed, defeated. "I don't know, it was just a feeling I got. I don't think she is totally straight."

She left out the part about Santana stuttering over her words when she first saw Brittany, or when Santana got flustered by her joke about hitting on her. Brittany definitely had a feeling that Santana may have more than a slight attraction to women.

Quinn gave a little laugh. "Well, I guess I should pay more attention the next time I see her. I might just have to come down for a visit soon."

"Quinn," Brittany warned. "Do not be a bitch to her. If she isn't straight, it is up to her to say and not for you to make comments about to bait her."

"Fine," she huffed. "But you need to keep things professional between you Brittany. Even if she isn't straight, you can't try for anything more with her."

"I know, and I will," Brittany said, hoping that she was telling the truth.

She was relieved when Quinn didn't make her promise. They wrapped up their conversation and Brittany flipped on her television. She briefly considered calling Rachel back, but decided that it was too late to get into a conversation about scenes and acting tips with the girl right now. Instead, she decided to put on some show on the Disney Channel and her mind inevitably went back to thinking about Santana. She knew she was in a bad place with the way she was so into the other woman already. But things were so tentative with her potential career and Santana's part in it that she knew that she needed to let things play out.

She could either jeopardize her career by going after something with Santana, or she could jeopardize the possibility of something with Santana by going after her career. The risks were high, but Brittany believed things would end up the way they needed to in the end.

 **A/N: So we see that Brittany was just as affected by Santana as Santana was by her! Only she is more willing to go after something with Santana, it appears. What do you guys think? Do you think she will choose her career over something with Santana? What do you think Santana feels about that?**

 **Any other thoughts so far? I know we are still at the beginning, and there is a lot of story left to tell, but it would be cool to hear what your opinions are or what you think might happen!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Santana was running late. She had a crappy week at work after meeting Brittany. Brittany was on her mind a lot, which was distracting her and leading her to make mistakes, which she usually didn't do. And now she was trying to make it to the practice space she got booked at NYADA thanks to Rachel.

Only her last meeting with a casting director trying to get her client from hell an audition went to shit when said client decided to make an impromptu appearance. The girl basically demanded the role, saying that her daddy would have the man's job if he didn't give in. Needless to say, in order to smooth things over, Santana had to work some magic. But it had taken time.

Time that she should have been using to get to the NYADA campus so she could watch Brittany do her thing. She had caught a cab with enough time to only be a little late, but then they got stuck in traffic. She had called Rachel to let them know that she wasn't going to be there on time. She was kicking herself the whole time for not bringing Brittany's information with her so she could at least call the woman herself. But instead, she was being utterly unprofessional by sending a message through someone else and she was going to be at least thirty minutes late at this rate.

God, if Brittany still wanted her to be her agent after all of this, she would be incredibly surprised. Hell, if Brittany still even wanted to talk to her after this she would be surprised. Santana had never had a worse day in her whole career that she could remember.

Sure, there was that time that she went off on that guy who wanted sex with her in return for giving her client a role. And there was that time when Rachel utterly embarrassed her by bawling after she messed up a song at an audition. And there was the day when she had eaten bad Chinese food at lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon throwing up in the bathroom at work until Rachel and Kurt were able to come take her home.

None of it compared to the thought of Brittany being disappointed in her. Especially after the shit she just had to deal with. Santana couldn't bear the thought of the blonde who had haunted her thoughts thinking that she hadn't made time for her or even had the decency to call her and apologize. She just felt so stupid.

She had been looking forward to seeing Brittany all week. To hearing her talk. She had been looking forward to Brittany's little word mix-ups and her smile and her laugh. And most of all, she had been looking forward to seeing how talented the other woman was. Because Santana just knew it in her bones that Brittany had talent.

Brittany being talented put Santana in a tough spot. It meant that she would sign her and she could see Brittany and talk to her all of the time, and she could help make Brittany's dreams come true. But it also meant that she had no hope of having a relationship with the blonde.

On the other hand, if Brittany wasn't as good as Santana was imagining she would be, it meant that Santana had no reason to sign her and so she would really have no reason to maintain contact with her. She wouldn't need to call her or see her, and she wouldn't be able to make her happy by getting her roles. But it would mean that, on the very slight chance that Santana would drum up the courage to ask, they would have the opportunity to date.

Which Santana really, really wanted. God, she couldn't remember wanting anything more than the chance to know how Brittany's lips tasted and how Brittany felt in her arms. She had no idea if Brittany was even interested in her like that. But it didn't matter anyways. Because Santana would probably end up being her agent, and it wasn't like she would get over her nerves enough to even ask Brittany out to see if she was maybe interested.

Santana checked her phone again for the time. She was now twenty minutes late and she was still fifteen minutes away. The traffic was clearing up though, so she was hopeful that they would start moving a bit faster now. She sighed, feeling even more guilty for making them wait. She decided to text Rachel to apologize again.

 _I'm so sorry Rachel! I should be there in another 15 hopefully. Is she mad?- Santana_

 _No, she is not mad. She isn't the type to really get mad, so you don't have to worry. She is dancing right now, and she looks to be in her element. I think it helps to calm her down. But I really wish you could see this. She is amazing!- Rachel_

Santana smiled, imagining the blonde losing herself in her dance. She could picture how well Brittany could move, and she really did wish she was there right now to see it.

 _I wish I was there. Today has been hell, and I feel so bad for making you guys wait! You know I'm not like this- Santana_

 _I know you aren't, and I've told her that. Trust me, Santana. She understands and she won't hold it against you. She really wants to impress you, so I think she is just glad that you are still coming- Rachel_

 _I promise I will be there. And I will be ready to be wowed, Berry, so you better have done your job preparing her!- Santana_

 _I am truly offended. You know I would never let her go into this blind. We have spent several days working on her pieces, and she listened to all of my notes. Which should tell you how much she actually wants this, because she usually tunes me out halfway through a sentence…- Rachel_

Santana chuckled. She understood why Brittany would do that. Santana had done it many times. Rachel just had a tendency to drone on about things too much, particularly when it was about performing or Broadway or Barbra or herself. She could be overwhelming at times.

 _Just checking. I will be there soon- Santana_

 _Okay! Looking forward to it!- Rachel_

Thankfully the cab pulled up to campus not much longer after that. She paid the driver quickly and hurried out onto the sidewalk. She moved as quickly as she could in her three inch heels, making her way into the building and rushing through the halls. She cautiously went up the steps to the second floor and found the space Rachel had been able to book for them.

She was relieved to see them both there when she pushed open the door. For some reason she had a fear in the back of her mind that they would have given up waiting and left. She rushed into the room, a little breathless as Brittany turned to her, a smile lighting the blonde's face as she walked in.

"I am so, so sorry I'm late," Santana quickly apologized. "I swear, I am usually always on time and I am way more professional than today would suggest. I just got hung up in a meeting and had a crisis to deal with and I forgot your information so I didn't have your number-"

She cut herself off when she realized she was rambling. Rachel was giving her an odd look, and Brittany was biting her lower lip, a smile in her eyes.

"I'm just really sorry, and I hope you don't hold it against me," she finished, feeling her face heat up in embarrassment.

"It's okay," Brittany said, her voice carefree. She gave Santana a little shrug, a gesture Santana was coming to find adorable. "It happens."

Santana finally let out a relieved breath. Hearing it straight from Brittany's mouth that her extreme lateness would not be a black mark was able to relax her much more than Rachel's reassurances could.

"Great," she smiled. "Let's get this started then, so we don't keep you any later than I already have."

Brittany nodded and went to get Santana a chair. Rachel was still looking at Santana strangely.

"What?" Santana scowled at her friend.

Rachel's head shook back and forth slightly, her mouth opened in a little surprised 'o'. "I've just never seen you quite so flustered before," her friend said.

"I'm not flustered," Santana snapped. "I'm just tired. I practically ran here from the cab in these heels. Do you know how hard that is?"

Rachel's mouth snapped shut, but Santana could tell that the woman didn't really believe her. The Santana that Rachel knew wouldn't apologize so profusely to someone she didn't know well like that. The Santana that Rachel knew wouldn't ask for forgiveness like that from anyone. She would just act like it wasn't a big deal and move on. Santana started to wring her hands in front of her, which was something she did when she was nervous or uncomfortable. And the way Rachel was staring at her right now, like she was examining her, was definitely making her nervous.

"Here," Brittany's voice broke in. "I got you a chair so you can sit. I'm sure your rushing to make it here wore you out."

Santana's heart fluttered at Brittany's thoughtfulness. She smiled gratefully at her and took a seat in the proffered chair.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"You're welcome," Brittany replied, smiling back.

Rachel was still staring at her.

"Aren't you supposed to be doing something, Berry?" Santana asked, breaking her friend out of whatever thoughts going around in her head.

Rachel hurried over to where Brittany was waiting and they had a quiet conversation to determine what scene to start with. They took their places, and they launched into their first rehearsed scene.

Santana sat back and enjoyed. She had known that Brittany was talented. And she was being proved right. She knew that having a crush on the woman could bias her, but Santana wasn't being biased. Brittany was good. She was really good.

She could do drama, conveying a depth of emotion that pulled at Santana's heartstrings. She could do lighthearted, making Santana smile. But the best thing that she did, by far, was make Santana laugh.

Brittany was funny. She could deliver jokes with such a great presence that Santana found herself laughing harder than she had in years. Even when she wasn't necessarily supposed to be funny, Brittany was able to inject some humor into the scenes. Santana could tell that Brittany was subtly mocking Rachel at points, a fact which her friend seemed completely oblivious to. And Santana loved it.

She knew exactly what kind of roles Brittany would be best for. At least to start with. She could see Brittany doing comedies, dropping jokes and doing fall gags and being awesome at it. She could see Brittany doing romantic comedies, being the funny best friend or the charming leading lady (though Santana didn't like the idea of some guy getting her in the end).

Once Brittany's career started to take off, she could definitely get Brittany to land much different roles. The blonde was so versatile that she could easily make a name for herself in the acting world. And Santana hadn't even seen her sing or dance yet.

Whereas Rachel tended to prefer more dramatic roles or musicals, Brittany already expressed an interest in trying anything. And Santana could definitely work with that. She already knew she would be offering the woman a contract.

"That was great, Brittany," Santana said once they finished their final scene. "You definitely are talented."

Brittany grinned, sending her stomach flipping. She wanted to make Brittany smile like that all of the time.

"Thanks!" Brittany enthused. Santana couldn't help but smile at her.

"Well, she definitely listened to a lot of my tips and put them to great use," Rachel said, breaking Santana out of her daze. "With some more of my tutelage, I think she could be pretty good."

Santana frowned, knowing that Brittany's talent had nothing to do with Rachel's tips. She met Brittany's eyes again to find the blonde giving her an amused look before rolling her gorgeous blue eyes at Rachel's self-centeredness. She choked on a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. Rachel shot her a look, turning to look at Brittany who just looked back and gave her a shrug like she didn't know what was going on.

This girl was perfect. Just perfect.

Santana found herself staring again, and she turned to Rachel who was giving her another strange look. She realized then that she had a big grin on her face, so she wiped it away quickly and scowled at Rachel.

"Did you prepare a song, too?" Santana asked Brittany, moving the audition along.

"Yeah, just let me set it up really quickly," the blonde replied.

Rachel was still just standing there.

"Did you want to get yourself a chair, or are you going to stand there staring at me all day?"

Rachel rolled her eyes and went to grab a chair. She set it next to Santana and lowered herself onto it.

"So, I tried to give her a list of songs that worked well for her range, but she is actually pretty adamant about the types of songs she likes to perform," Rachel said.

"Okay," Santana replied, unsure why Rachel was telling her this.

"It's just that, she tends to stick with Britney Spears. She claims that she has a special affinity for her since their names are similar, but I think she just likes to dance to her music. However, it doesn't exactly showcase her voice."

Santana smiled, thinking that Brittany was definitely the type of person to claim a special connection to someone because of similar names. She found it adorable, actually.

"Okay, what is up with you today? Did you get dehydrated from running up here and you are out of it? Or are you actually going crazy?"

She frowned at Rachel. "What the hell are you talking about Berry?"

"You keep smiling and getting this dreamy look on your face. I've never seen you like this before and we've known each other for like six years," Rachel explained. Then her eyes got wide and she brought her hand up to her open mouth. "Oh my God, did you meet someone? Are you finally breaking out of your dating slump?"

Santana quickly looked away, suddenly uncomfortable, and focused her eyes on the corner of the room. "No! I haven't met anyone, and I'm not in a dating slump. I'm just really busy with work and I don't have any time or interest to date right now," she defended before turning back to look at her friend. "And I do not have a dreamy look on my face. You're the one who is crazy."

Rachel raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay! I was clearly mistaken. I'm sorry."

Santana just looked away again, hoping to get her friend's scrutiny off of her. She adjusted in her seat and her eyes found Brittany again, only to widen in surprise. Her heart started to pound and she started to feel a dull ache in between her thighs as she raked her eyes over the blonde who was getting ready to perform her song.

Brittany had stripped down, and instead of the jeans and blouse she was wearing before, she now was wearing a bright sports bra and very short, tight shorts. Her hair was hanging loose over her shoulders, and Santana almost had a heart attack just from looking at the well-defined abs on the other woman's stomach and her toned legs, not to mention the firm breasts showcased by the tight bra.

Oh, God. Santana wasn't sure if she was going to survive this. She clamped her thighs together and gripped the seat of her chair tightly with her hands. So tightly that the edges dug into her fingers to the point of pain. But she barely registered it as Brittany cued the music. Britney Spears' 'I'm a Slave 4 U' started, and Santana was positive at that point that Brittany Pierce was going to be the death of her.

Brittany started dancing, and, through her haze of lust, Santana could recognize that the woman was good. _Really_ good. Rachel definitely hadn't lied about that, not that she would have. Brittany's hips moved like magic, and Santana's eyes were practically going to spin out of her head as they couldn't decide on where to settle. They kept bouncing between the dancer's hips, flexing stomach muscles, long, lean legs, supple arms, perky breasts, perfect ass, and beautiful face.

Santana had never been this turned on before in her life, and Brittany was just dancing. Just freaking _dancing_.

Santana finally recognized that Brittany had started to sing. It took her a moment to even make out the lyrics, but once she was able to get her brain off of her raging libido for a minute, she could tell that Brittany also had a good voice. She hadn't lied when she said she wasn't as talented as Rachel in that department, but it was hard for anybody to claim any sort of ability to compete with Berry in that regard. But Brittany definitely had a pleasant voice, and she knew exactly how to best sell her talents. By combining her singing with a very good dance routine ( _very_ good), Brittany was showcasing her performing abilities amazingly.

Brittany was definitely a genius.

Brittany danced her ass off. She moved around the floor like she owned it, and Santana could have sworn she had a mini-orgasm when Brittany rolled her pelvis down when she was on her stomach on the floor. She could picture the dancer doing that on top of her in bed, and it was a picture she wasn't sure would ever get out of her head.

Brittany worked her way closer to Santana. Santana's body tensed as the woman she was currently thinking about ravaging made her way nearer. Her grip on the chair's seat got tighter, and she could feel the edges digging harder into her hands. She knew there were going to be deep marks, but she didn't care. She couldn't care. Not when there was this goddess making her way towards her.

Brittany turned around only a few feet in front of Santana, moving her ass deliciously right in Santana's eye line. Santana could swear she was drooling, but she couldn't move. Her muscles were frozen. Her brain couldn't do anything other than force her to stare at the beautiful sight before her.

She let her eyes roam up from Brittany's rear end, up over her back that Santana would love to get her lips on, and once she got up past the dancer's shoulders she realized that Brittany was looking back at her over her shoulder. The blonde had a smirk on her lips as she danced, meeting Santana's eyes. The blue orbs looked into Santana's chocolate gaze, and Santana could see the glint of mischief in them. And something Santana wasn't sure she could identify.

Brittany gave her a wink, which startled her momentarily. She blinked and then Brittany was further away, facing her again as she finished out her performance.

The music ended, and Brittany stood there in the middle of the room, panting as she tried to regain her breath.

Santana was still as frozen as she was before, only now she was becoming more aware of how stiff and awkward she was. She could feel Rachel's eyes boring into the side of her head, but she couldn't look away from Brittany just yet.

Brittany walked back towards her things, breaking the spell that she had Santana under. Santana was able to relax at long last. She loosened her grip on the chair, feeling the pain from the edges that had dug so hard into her hands and fingers. She flexed her fingers a couple of times and brought a hand up to her mouth discreetly to make sure that she, in fact, did not really drool. She was relieved to find that there was no saliva on her chin.

The whole time, she could still feel Rachel watching her. So she finally turned her head, knowing she couldn't put it off any longer. Her friend was staring at her with a tiny hint of a smile and a knowing look in her eyes. Santana immediately felt uncomfortable and exposed. She felt as if Rachel could see directly into her head at the moment, and it was definitely full of things that she didn't want the other woman to see.

"What?" Santana snapped. Her walls slammed into place, trying to protect herself.

Rachel didn't get offended or hurt though. She just kept looking at Santana, her expression softening.

"Nothing," she said. She reached her hand out and placed it gently on Santana's, which were clasped tightly together in her lap. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right Santana? Anything."

Santana's first instinct was to snap again and make some bitchy comment. But she felt the soothing touch of Rachel's hand on hers, and saw her friend's sincere, caring expression. She let out a breath and looked at their hands in her lap. She let her walls down just a little and looked back up to see Rachel looking at her just as she was before. Santana was really glad to have a friend who cared about her that much. She wasn't ready to talk about things yet, but, when she was, she knew that she had Rachel on her side.

Santana gave a little nod, emotions clogging her throat. "I know," she said quietly.

She half expected Rachel to push for more, but the woman just squeezed her hand a little and gave a reassuring smile. Then Rachel took her hand away and got up, heading towards Brittany who was making her way back to them.

"Brittany! That was so awesome!" Rachel enthused, pulling her into a big hug. Brittany grinned at her, hugging her back though she was clearly surprised that Rachel was hugging her even when she was still a little sweaty. "But I have to say, your breath control during the more rigorous dance portions could use some work. And-"

Santana rolled her eyes as Rachel started to launch into another long-winded critique of Brittany's performance. Santana thought it was practically perfect and didn't need much of any fixing. But she understood that her friend was giving her a moment to collect herself and prepare to talk to the woman who had just turned her upside-down and all kinds of sideways. Sometimes she really did love Rachel Berry.

She took another breath to steady herself, and she stood up and made her way over toward the other two. She didn't even need to put a fake smile on. The closer she got to Brittany, the easier she could hear her make mocking comments that went over Rachel's head. Her mouth started to pull up into a grin, and the beautiful woman was even more breathtaking with a light sheen of sweat on her and her face flushed from exertion. Santana's heart started to flutter again, especially when Brittany's amused blue eyes met hers, but she pushed the feelings down.

"You were really great, Brittany," Santana said once Rachel shut up.

Brittany smiled, her cheeks bunching up with genuine joy. "Thank you."

"So, if you have a moment I would like to talk to you," Santana said, hoping that Rachel would get the hint and walk away. Rachel didn't need to butt in on her business dealings.

"Absolutely, yeah," Brittany said, still grinning.

Thankfully, Rachel was wise enough to know that she didn't belong in this conversation. "I'll just let you two talk," she said, offering them both a smile before she went back over to the chairs.

Santana watched her walk away, waiting until she was actually sitting before she turned back to the blonde.

"So," Santana began. "I'll be honest. You definitely have talent."

Brittany seemed to relax a bit after Santana said that. But Santana could still see the slight bit of nervousness in the dancer. It almost made her want to reach out and pull her into a soothing hug, but that would be inappropriate for so many reasons.

"Your dancing abilities are top notch, and that definitely helps broaden what type of work you can do," she continued. "Your singing is good, but I agree with Rachel in that you could use some work if it is something you really want to use as a potential selling point to casting directors. But I have to say, I was incredibly impressed with your acting. The scenes you prepared suited you, and you are a versatile actress which can help you immensely."

Brittany stood there listening raptly to Santana's little speech. She seemed to be getting a more hopeful look in her eyes as Santana praised her, thinking that good news may be ready to come.

"I appreciate that," Brittany told her with a small, polite smile. "It means a lot to hear that coming from you."

Santana gave her a genuine smile then, pleased to hear that Brittany valued her opinion. "I'm glad. Because I would like to offer you the chance to sign with me and let me represent you as your agent."

Brittany's face morphed from a pleasant expression to one of shock, and then into disbelieving joy. "Really?"

Santana laughed. "Yes, really. If you are interested, we can set up a meeting for Monday and we can discuss what exactly I can bring to the table for you, and go over a contract. If everything meets with your approval, and you want me as your agent, then you can sign and I can start finding you work."

"Oh my God!" Brittany exclaimed, a huge grin splitting her face. She brought her hands up to her mouth as if she still couldn't believe this was happening. "Yes, that sounds great! I can't believe it! Thank you so much!"

Brittany was bouncing up and down, trying to contain her excitement. She moved forward as if she were going to hug Santana. Santana stiffened a little, the thought of Brittany's body against hers causing her to freak out briefly. She must have had a frightened look on her face, because Brittany quickly extended her hand out instead for a more professional handshake.

Santana shook Brittany's hand with a mixture of relief and disappointment. Though she still got the tingles from the feeling of the blonde's hand in hers.

"So are you signing her?" Rachel called from across the room.

"Yes!" Brittany enthusiastically called back.

Rachel squealed and Santana couldn't help but roll her eyes. Rachel hurried over and hugged Brittany again. Both of them were jumping up and down a little, although Santana didn't understand exactly why Rachel was so happy about it.

The look on Brittany's face though, combined with the adorable little laughs coming from her, made Santana's heart feel lighter than it had in years. She hadn't even realized how heavy everything had felt to her before. But making Brittany genuinely happy had made Santana the happiest she could remember being for awhile.

"We totally have to go out tonight to celebrate!" Rachel exclaimed once they pulled apart. It was clear that the invitation was for everyone.

"I don't know, Rachel," Santana said hesitantly. "I mean, I've had a long week and I kind of just wanted to go home and relax."

"Oh, come on Santana!" Rachel protested. "That is the perfect reason why you should go out and have a good time! It's Friday night and none of us have anything pressing to worry about in the morning. We can get Kurt to come and all of us can go out, have some drinks, and dance!"

"You had me at dance," Brittany said, grinning.

Santana immediately pictured Brittany dancing in a club with her. The thought was enough to begin to sway her.

"Please? You know we haven't gone out in awhile," Rachel practically begged. "It will be fun. And besides, it gives you a chance to get to know Brittany better."

Santana suddenly realized where this was going. She shot Rachel a glare, but her friend just stared back at her with an innocent expression.

"I know you like to get to know your clients a little so you can get a better feel for them," Rachel went on.

Santana didn't believe that was the reason why Rachel was pushing her to go out, but it actually was true. Santana did like to find out things about the people she worked for so she could figure out how best to represent their interests. For instance, she had a client who was a single mother with a young daughter, so Santana pushed for little to no night shoots so the woman could be home every night with her child.

Finding out more about Brittany was kind of a double-edged sword, however, because the more Santana found out about her the more she feared she would be attracted to her. But she needed to learn about her in order to do her job the most effectively. And she wanted to learn about Brittany. She wanted to know everything she could about her. That was what was going to get her in trouble.

"It'll be fun," Brittany chimed in. "Plus, I can show you more of my dance skills."

Santana couldn't resist Brittany asking her to go. She huffed a little and raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Fine, I'll go," she gave in. The other women cheered. "But, if Lady Hummel starts waxing poetic about some new crush he has, I can't guarantee I won't bail."

"Deal," Rachel quickly agreed, a big smile on her face.

Santana didn't know exactly what she just signed on for, but the knot that settled in her stomach was making her feel a little nauseated. She hoped the evening wouldn't turn out to be a total disaster.

 **A/N: So Santana may be getting in a little over her head. What do you guys think? Can she handle having Brittany as a client? Or is she going to bite off more than she can chew?**

 **And what about Brittany? Do you think she could deal with being around Santana but not touching? And what do you guys think is going to happen when everybody goes out dancing together? Will more sparks fly?**

 **Let me know your thoughts!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Brittany was still riding a high over two hours after she had left the performance space at NYADA. Santana had agreed to be her agent! This day was so awesome!

To make matters even better, Brittany was positive that the woman was attracted to her. If the way Santana's eyes had travelled all over her body while she danced wasn't enough to sell her on it, the fact that Santana had focused on her ass and licked her lips while Brittany was dancing right in front of her was sure to do it. That's why Brittany couldn't resist sending her that flirtatious wink. Maybe Santana would get the hint and know that Brittany was crushing on her, too.

But Brittany definitely didn't want to come on to her new agent. Or soon to be agent, at least. Because Santana had already made it clear that nothing could happen between them like that if they signed a contract, and Brittany didn't want to cross that boundary and lose her chance at a career. And, after hearing how Santana reacted to unwanted advances in the past, Brittany was definitely wary of making her interest known only to get completely and utterly picked apart and devastated by the object of her affections.

She still couldn't help but be excited by the prospect that Santana was attracted to her. It meant that there was a chance that something could develop between them in the future, which was something that Brittany most surely would be interested in. She had told herself that she would let things play out, and she was still going to abide by that. If something was meant to happen romantically between her and Santana, then she figured it was going to happen no matter what.

And going out to the club with the woman only helped to give her hope that maybe something could happen. Spending time with Santana outside of a professional setting would allow her to get to know the woman on a more personal level, and give Santana a chance to learn about Brittany. At the very least, they could maybe become friends the way Santana had become friends with Rachel and Kurt. Brittany would be happy with that. At least that was what she told herself.

The knowledge that she would be seeing Santana again soon was what was helping to keep her excitement level high. She had gotten back to her apartment and immediately called her parents to tell them the good news. They were so excited for her, and her little sister even sounded happy for her (as happy as a teenager could deign to be for someone else). She also called Quinn, who got caught up in Brittany's excitement and congratulated her heartily. Brittany had the urge to tell her about her suspicions about Santana's attraction to her, but knew that Quinn would use it against the other woman somehow. Plus, she kind of wanted to keep it a secret to see if anything happened and not jinx it, so she kept her mouth shut.

After spreading the good news to those who mattered the most to her, she got in the shower to wash away the sweat from her dancing. She had choreographed that routine to have a little extra sexiness in it to show off for Santana. Brittany usually could read people pretty well, and she had been pretty sure before that Santana was into women. But she had wanted to see if she could find out for sure, so that was a little extra motivation. Mostly though, she wanted to look good for Santana and show her what she could do. What she could be.

And it had paid off, in so many ways. Brittany was going to get help with her career. And she knew Santana was at least appreciative of her in a physical way.

God, she couldn't wait for the club. After she showered, she spent an obscenely long amount of time trying to pick an outfit to wear. She wanted to look sexy, but she didn't want to look slutty and ask for unwanted attention from anyone. She just wanted to get Santana's attention.

In the end, she decided on a shimmery silver dress that was short enough to show off her legs, but long enough to not be too scandalous. It was sleeveless so her arms weren't restricted for dancing, and the back dipped down far enough to show quite a bit of skin. She thought that would give Santana enough of an eyeful if she wanted to look. She styled her hair to fall in messy waves over her shoulders and put on some light make-up, highlighting her bright blue eyes to make them pop. After slipping on some black heels, she was ready to go.

Rachel had told her the name of a club to meet at and given her directions before they had departed the NYADA campus. They were supposed to meet at 9:30, and it was already after 9:00. She grabbed her things and headed out of her apartment into the warm summer air. Since the club wasn't too far away, she decided to walk there. She could always take a cab back later if she was too tired or tipsy.

Her nerves started to make an appearance as she walked. Was she crazy for wanting to be around Santana as much as she was? Was she out of her mind for hoping something romantic could develop between her and her new agent? Was she going to completely screw her career and personal life up by trying to stir the sparks of attraction between her and Santana? Maybe she should just back off with everything and just try to be friendly and keep things professional.

She was second-guessing everything when she saw the entrance to the club. Rachel and Kurt were already there, and so was Santana. Seeing the woman who was causing her such inner turmoil only served to send her heart into overdrive.

Santana was wearing a short black and green dress that was low cut to show off her ample cleavage. Brittany's eyes immediately went to the tops of Santana's breasts that were enhanced by the dress. Her mouth went dry and her steps faltered momentarily.

"Brittany!" Rachel exclaimed, pulling Brittany out of her stupor.

She gave a smile to her friend and made her way over to the group. Rachel gave her a hug, and Kurt followed.

"Congratulations, Britt! Rachel and Santana told me the good news," Kurt told her as he squeezed her.

"Thanks, Kurt," Brittany replied, her eyes finding Santana over his shoulder.

Santana was watching her, though she was trying not to. Her face was tilted down, but she was looking at Brittany through her lashes. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her, something Brittany was quickly beginning to realize meant that she was nervous. Was Santana actually nervous about being near Brittany? Or was it something else?

"Hey," Brittany greeted Santana once Kurt had let her go.

Santana lifted her face and offered her a shy smile. "Hi."

"Thanks for coming," she said, hoping to draw the other woman out of the shell she was in.

"Well, it wasn't like Rachel offered me much of a choice," Santana said, feigning annoyance. "And once Kurt was involved, I knew I would be pestered until I agreed."

Brittany could see the affection that Santana had for her two former fellow glee clubbers. Santana really cared about them, and it made Brittany happy to see that the feeling was pretty mutual. She could only hope that she could get as close to Santana as her two friends had.

"Oh please, Santana. You haven't been out with us in ages! It's like you decided to become a recluse these past few months," Kurt said. "And to make matters worse, you haven't been on a date since college! Maybe we can find you a guy that strikes your fancy tonight."

Santana became guarded and Brittany almost yelled at Kurt for trying to set the girl she was interested up with someone. But it was Rachel who spoke.

"Kurt, leave her alone," Rachel admonished. "She will date when she feels like it, and not when anybody else pushes her into it."

Kurt just rolled his eyes, but Brittany saw Santana shoot Rachel a grateful look. There was something else in it though, something that seemed to hint that there was more going on than just getting Kurt off of her back. Rachel smiled gently and gave a small nod to Santana.

"Well I, for one, am ready to dance! Who's with me?" Brittany said, trying to shift the mood back to fun.

"Come on Britt, let's go show the people in this club how to party!" Kurt enthused.

He looped his arm in hers and she giggled. They made their way straight into the club. Apparently Santana had some connections here, and Brittany could hear the groans of people waiting in line to get in.

Immediately, the thump of the bass resounded deep in Brittany's chest as the music hit her ears. Her hips started to automatically move in time to the beat, and she dragged Kurt straight to the dance floor. He laughed as she forced him to dance with her, grinding up on him in a way that would have any straight guy definitely interested in not dancing anymore. She loved being able to dance like this, and she was safe with Kurt. Nobody should come up and hit on her when she was with him.

But she really would have preferred to be dancing with a certain dark haired Latina instead of her gay boy friend. As nervous as Santana was when she walked up, however, meant that Brittany wouldn't initiate any sort of sexy dancing between them. If Santana came to her, she would take advantage of it. Her thinking on her walk to the club had made her decide to let Santana set the pace. If she wanted to take a chance on Brittany, then Brittany would go with it.

In the meantime, she would keep things friendly and fun between them outside of business related things. And when it came to dealing with her career, she would be completely professional. At least she hoped she could do that.

It wasn't too long before Brittany saw Rachel and Santana join them on the dance floor. Kurt turned toward Rachel, who shimmied up to him to dance. Rachel gave Brittany a look and tilted her head a little toward Santana, indicating that she should dance with the agent. Brittany shrugged and turned to Santana, who was looking a little lost now that Rachel had clearly abandoned her.

She hated to see Santana feeling awkward, so all of her previous promises of keeping her distance flew out of her head. She moved closer to Santana and grabbed her hands, pulling her within mere inches of her body. She could feel the heat coming from Santana's body and smell her perfume. It made her head swim, and she wanted more.

Brittany's hands went straight to Santana's hips and guided her into movement with her own. She looked into Santana's face which was a mixture of fear, longing, and heat. Shit. Maybe Brittany shouldn't have done this. Just as she was about to release Santana's hips, the other woman wrapped her arms around Brittany's shoulders and stepped even closer, letting her inhibitions go.

Brittany grinned at Santana, who smiled playfully back, and they moved in rhythm together. Dancing with Santana felt so good. Brittany had tingles shooting throughout her body, and the close proximity of her crush was sending pulsing waves of desire to settle low in her belly. Santana really knew how to move, and it only made Brittany want her even more.

She tried to keep her eyes away from Santana's body to help. But that often meant that she looked into Santana's face, which was still ranging in looks from nervous to turned on. Santana's eyes stayed on Brittany's body, so she couldn't resist moving just a little bit sexier. Santana licked her lips, and Brittany moaned low in her throat.

She wasn't sure if Santana heard it or not, but suddenly the other woman's eyes shot up to hers and she looked panicked. Santana's formerly fluid movements stuttered and stiffened, until she was no longer dancing at all. Brittany stopped, knowing that things had gone too far. Santana's hands had fallen from her shoulders and were now crossed just underneath her breasts, so Brittany stepped back and removed her hands from Santana's hips.

"Did you want to get a drink?" Brittany asked over the music.

It took Santana a moment for the words to sink in, but when they finally did, she gave an enthusiastic nod in the affirmative. Brittany wanted to take Santana's hand again, but decided against in. Instead, she just led the way off of the dance floor toward the bar. She leaned against it, fanning herself as she realized just how warm she had gotten dancing in the crowd. Santana slid up next to her, still a little awkward after whatever had happened on the dance floor.

"You're a really good dancer," she told Santana, trying to break the ice again.

Santana snorted. "Not nearly as good as you," she said, meeting Brittany's eyes. "It's like your body just knows how to move on its own."

Brittany laughed a little. "Sometimes I think it does," she said. "You have no idea how often I find a leg or an arm just doing something I didn't tell it to do."

Santana chuckled. "Well, they seem to move well enough even if you didn't give the orders."

The bartender came up to get their drink orders. Brittany decided on a mixed drink of some kind that she couldn't even remember the name of, and Santana got a couple shots of tequila. She couldn't help but scrunch up her face a little at the idea of drinking tequila straight, but Santana seemed to like it.

"So how did you meet Rachel and Kurt?" Brittany asked, wanting to get to know more about Santana.

"I met Rachel during my freshman year at NYU," Santana replied, signaling the bartender for another shot. "I was still doing a little bit of performing and going for auditions for plays and stuff in the city, and I kept running into her at the auditions. At first I just thought she was really annoying, since she usually was just spouting off about how good she was or whatever."

Brittany laughed, understanding exactly what Santana meant. Santana grinned in acknowledgement before continuing. "But after repeatedly running into her and seeing her over and over, we just kind of struck up conversations every time we saw each other again. I knew that I was probably going to go into more of the talent management side of things instead of performing, and I recognized that she was really good and figured it wouldn't hurt to become acquaintances so maybe I could represent her one day. And things just kind of happened from there. She introduced me to Kurt and we started hanging out more, and somehow they became my best friends in the city."

"It does take some time, but Rachel somehow grows on you," Brittany said. "It doesn't always seem like she would, but she really does do a lot for her friends."

"She does," Santana agreed, grimacing a little after she downed her shot. "Kurt just kind of came with her, and we enjoy giving each other a hard time so I have someone to practice my fine art of insulting people with."

Brittany smiled, imagining the banter Santana and Kurt no doubt got up to. "I have to say, I have a hard time picturing you being too insulting," she admitted. "I haven't seen you say anything mean yet, and you've always been nice to me."

Santana seemed to get embarrassed. "Well, you were a potential client," she explained. "I couldn't exactly be insulting to you. And you haven't been around me long enough yet to see me in action."

Brittany didn't necessarily believe her. She thought that Santana was actually a really nice person. One who hid behind her own particular type of armor to protect herself from whatever she was scared of, but who was sweet and soft on the inside. She was afraid to let people get too close to her, so she used insults and sarcasm to keep them away. Even the people she claimed to be her best friends.

"I'm really glad you haven't been mean to me," Brittany confessed. "I don't do well with people insulting me. I was called stupid a lot in high school, and it hurt a lot."

Santana seemed surprised. "People called you stupid?" Brittany nodded. "But you went to MIT! You are like a freaking genius, Britt. Those people were clearly the stupid ones."

Brittany smiled bashfully at hearing the nickname from Santana and the genuine praise from her. "I had a lot of trouble with my grades in high school, and I say a lot of weird things. They just didn't understand."

Santana rested her hand on Brittany's arm, the alcohol seeming to make some of her inhibitions fall away. "They didn't understand. I think you're pretty amazing and smart and talented. I don't see how anyone could be mean to you."

Brittany's shy smile turned into a genuine grin. "I think you're pretty great yourself. And you are definitely sweet." Santana bit her lip on a smile, making Brittany's eyes focus on those pouty, kissable lips. "And really beautiful."

Santana's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in a little 'o' of surprise. Her hand twitched against Brittany's arm before Santana quickly removed it. Brittany could see that she was pleased with Brittany's compliment, but afraid of it. Brittany wasn't sure if it was wrong of her to say, but she couldn't help it. Her drink and Santana's company had made her feel loose and happy. So she just smiled and shot a wink at Santana, who swallowed hard and looked shyly at the ground.

"Uh… I- thanks," Santana stuttered out, her hands clasping in front of her again.

"You're welcome," she replied, then decided to take pity on the woman. "Let's go find Rachel and Kurt and dance a bit more."

Santana gave a relieved nod and they weaved their way through the crowd back to the dance floor. It took a couple of minutes, but they were able to find Kurt and Rachel. Brittany cringed at their dancing. They weren't exactly the best dancers when it came to anything other than the types of steps they did in their glee club routines or what they could do on a Broadway stage. So Brittany decided to help them out a little and made her way over so they could follow her motions. One thing they always had going for them was that they were quick learners, and they picked up her rhythm quickly.

Santana became much more comfortable on the dance floor and they danced as a group, having a good time and laughing together.

Then Brittany felt someone come up behind her and a hand settle on her hips. She tensed a little at the unwanted attention, and her eyes looked up to find Santana's. The Latina looked pissed for a moment before her face settled into a mask of indifference. She turned to focus on dancing with Rachel, but her eyes shot back to Brittany. Well, more specifically, the person behind her. She didn't look too happy.

Brittany turned to face the guy who had decided it was okay to just put his hand on her like that. He was a good looking guy, but Brittany had no desire to get to know him. He gave her a grin when she looked at him, but she didn't return it.

"You're hot," he slurred. Great he was drunk. She rolled her eyes and stood still so maybe he would focus on her face and words instead of her body.

"Look, I'm not interested," she told him. "I came to dance and have a good time with my friends, not get hit on by guys that I have no desire to get to know. So I would appreciate it if you would back off and let me get back to my friends."

It took a moment for the words to sink in, but when they did his face screwed up in an ugly scowl. "Bitch," he said, grabbing her wrist and making Brittany's heart pound in fear. "You come in here in that dress with those moves and you don't want someone to hook up with? I don't believe it."

"Hey, let go man," Kurt said, noticing what was going on. His words had no effect.

"Santana, don't." Brittany heard Rachel say before she felt Santana next to her. She was still scared, but the presence of the other woman seemed to calm her a little.

"Excuse me, cretin," Santana said bitingly. "She clearly isn't interested in some low-life loser like you and your tiny cock. Why don't you go back to your sad existence and cry yourself to sleep at how pathetic your life is and leave us alone. And you better let go of her before my heel gives your dick a new hole where there shouldn't be one."

Brittany watched the whole thing in shock. Santana definitely hadn't been lying about her ability to be mean. But she was more shocked about how Santana standing up for her made her feel good rather than Santana's insults. She usually hated people being mean like that to others. But this guy deserved it, and Santana was doing it to rescue her. Her own personal knight in shining armor.

The jerk frowned at Santana but let go of Brittany's wrist, clearly deciding that the threat to his manhood from the fiery Latina was too much to risk. "Listen, Latin Barbie," he said, causing Santana to roll her eyes at the insult. "Why don't I take you to the back instead and show you just how big my cock really is since your friend is just a tease. You look more like a girl who gives it up instead of leading a guy on."

Brittany could feel Santana stiffen a little beside her, and she looked to see the hurt in dark eyes that she tried to hide. Santana took a threatening step toward the douchebag and Brittany grabbed her arm gently.

"San, don't," she pleaded. Santana paused and seemed to soften a little at Brittany's words.

"Get the fuck out of here asshole," Santana told the guy instead. "None of us want anything your pitiful self has to offer. And learn some fucking respect, or I'll make sure you won't have anything to offer any other woman in the future if you get my drift."

The guy scoffed but walked away. Santana seemed to deflate in front of Brittany, who wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her.

"I need a drink," Santana muttered.

"I'll go to the bar with you," Rachel offered, watching Santana with concern.

Santana just nodded and started to head off in the direction of the bar. Brittany had half a mind to follow them, wanting to be near to Santana, but Kurt distracted her.

"You okay?"

Brittany turned to face his worried face. "Yeah," she nodded. "I'm okay. That guy was just a jerk. Is she going to be okay?"

Kurt looked toward the bar, his concern growing momentarily before answering. "Yeah, she will be," he answered. "She usually doesn't have a problem fending off assholes like that, but, when they make those kinds of insults, it tends to affect her more."

Brittany wondered what the reasons were behind that, but it wasn't her place to ask. "She didn't have to help me like that."

Kurt faced her, an amused smile on her face. "She didn't, but it's what she does when she actually likes someone," he told her. "So congratulations on being Santana Lopez's friend."

Brittany smiled at his words. "She likes me?"

Kurt laughed. "She just insulted a guy, threatened him with bodily harm, and would have slapped him if you hadn't stopped her. You just met her this week and she is already defending you from horny assholes. I would definitely say she likes you."

Brittany looked over in the direction of the bar in awe. She could barely see Santana through the crowd, but she could see enough of her to tell she was having a conversation with Rachel while waiting for the bartender to bring her a drink. She hadn't realized she had made that big of an impression on Santana already. Yeah, she thought that the other woman was attracted to her, but she didn't even think that she would be thought of highly enough to be defended like that.

"Does she do things like that a lot?" Brittany asked, still worried about her.

"Not as much as she used to," he said. "Back in college she would get into arguments and fights almost every time we went out. I hate to say it, but she usually would have hooked up with guys like that back then."

Brittany shook her head disbelievingly.

"But then, around senior year, something changed. She calmed down a little. She would still insult people but not as much as before. She stopped getting into fights. And she just stopped dating," he continued. "I mean, I'm glad she didn't get with assholes anymore, but she hasn't even kissed anyone that I know of in a few years. I don't know what happened, but she became a different person. But the Santana you just saw comes out every once in awhile, just usually when it is warranted now."

Brittany was really curious now. What happened to make Santana change like that? Why hadn't she dated anyone in years? And what was it that made Santana feel that strongly about her to defend her like that even though they barely knew each other?

She really wanted to go talk to Santana, but she knew that she was better off talking to Rachel. They were best friends and had known each other a lot longer than Brittany had known her. So Brittany just turned back to Kurt and started to lose herself in the music again.

Rachel and Santana eventually made their way back to the dance floor. Santana was noticeably more intoxicated than before, and Brittany saw Rachel keeping a close eye on her. Brittany found herself doing the same, dancing a little closer to the woman and making sure that she was okay. There was one time a guy came up to Santana to try to dance with her. Brittany was surprised that a spark of jealousy lit up in her chest. She frowned at the guy until Santana turned him down and actually tried to get him to dance with Rachel instead.

Rachel laughed and blushed, but gently turned him down as well. Brittany thought it was a nice thing of Santana to do, especially since Rachel hadn't really dated much since Finn died. But mostly she was relieved that Santana wasn't interested in him.

The rest of the night was much better. Brittany got a nice buzz going from her drinks. She shared some laughs with Kurt and Rachel about old memories from glee club. She danced more with Santana, getting a little flirty since they both were tipsy, but she made sure to keep it pretty tame since she didn't want things to become uncomfortable come Monday when it was time to sign her contract. She just ended up having a lot of fun.

It was the perfect way to celebrate her offer from Santana to be represented by her. It was a great party to kick off her hopefully bright future in the acting world of New York City. And it was the start of something more than just a business relationship between her and Santana. Something she hoped could be one of the most significant relationships in her life. Though what significance that would be remained to be seen.

 **A/N: So there were some definite sparks there. And even a bit of jealousy? These girls are in over their heads already, huh? What did you guys think? Do you think Santana is going to be willing to go after Brittany as more than just a client? Do you think Brittany can keep things just friendly between them? Any other thoughts or comments?**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Santana woke up the next morning with a pounding headache. She groaned as she rolled over, cringing at the dryness in her mouth. Why did she drink so much last night?

Oh, yeah. Brittany.

Santana had needed a little bit of liquid courage to be around the blonde dancer when she was in that sexy dress and moving the way she did on the dance floor. And then she drank a little more after that asshole had insulted her in front of Brittany and made some memories she would have preferred stayed buried rise up.

Santana hadn't really slept with a lot of guys. She had made out with a lot of boys throughout high school and college in the hopes that she could find that spark that she had been missing. She had sex with a handful of guys that she dated, but mostly her hooking up consisted of disappointing make-out sessions and clumsy groping by big hands that wouldn't know how to make her feel good no matter how hard they tried.

But she hadn't exactly been that discriminatory with the guys she hooked up with. If they looked good, she would go for it. If they had status, she hit on them. It didn't matter if they were jerks or douchebags, as long as they benefitted her in some way.

After that guy had made all of those bad feelings she had thought she moved on from come back, she just let go. She remembered Rachel accompanying her to the bar. She remembered dancing more and how hot Brittany looked. Other than that, she didn't remember much.

Santana whimpered a little as she sat up and the pounding in her head increased. She could swear that she smelled coffee. She never had a hangover that caused olfactory hallucinations before.

Wait. She was actually smelling coffee. What the fuck?

She looked down at herself, relieved to find that she was dressed in some shorts and a t-shirt. It didn't appear as if she had somehow brought someone home to have sex with. It sure as shit didn't feel like she had sex. She had gone without it for years, so she figured she would easily be able to tell if that drought had been broken. But she also really wanted the first time she had sex again to be when she could remember it. And really, really preferred that it was with a woman, though the thought did still terrify her a little.

Santana carefully made her way out of her bed and shuffled out of her room toward the kitchen. She groaned when she saw the brunette sitting at her table eating her grapefruit.

"Good morning, Santana," Rachel greeted, a smile on her face. "I made you some coffee, since I am sure you are feeling the ill effects from your escapades last night. And there is a bottle of water next to the coffee maker for you as well, with some aspirin."

As hard as it was dealing with Rachel sometimes, especially with a hangover, she really was glad the other woman was here. She probably would have just laid in bed until some motivation maybe struck her to make some coffee, but Rachel was already taking care of her.

"Thanks," she mumbled, shuffling over to the coffee pot. She took some aspirin first, downing half of the bottle of water to moisten her dry mouth. Then she poured herself a cup of coffee, getting the creamer out of the fridge and getting it just how she liked it before joining Rachel at the table.

"Not that I'm complaining, but what are you doing here, Berry?"

Rachel smiled at Santana, which made her nervous. "I helped you home last night and decided to stay on your couch since it was late. Plus, I wanted to make sure you were feeling alright this morning after how much you drank last night," the woman said. Santana relaxed, relieved that it wasn't more than that. "Plus, I hoped we could continue our talk from last night."

Santana immediately tensed, the smirk on Rachel's face indicating that she wasn't talking about the rant she had done about the douchebag who hit on Brittany.

"What talk?"

Santana truly wasn't sure what Rachel was talking about, but she had a feeling it wasn't something she was going to like.

Rachel paused for a moment, studying Santana to see if she was lying just to get out of continuing whatever conversation they had started last night. She seemed to believe Santana's ignorance.

"What do you remember from last night?" Rachel asked.

Santana's face scrunched up as she tried to recall everything from the night before. She remembered seeing Brittany walk up to them outside of the club and the way her heart raced when she saw the other woman. She remembered how her body felt tingly when she realized the outfit Brittany was wearing showed off her sexy body and how beautiful Brittany looked. She remembered being awkward because she wasn't sure how to act around the woman she so obviously had a crush on.

Santana remembered the thrill of Brittany's body moving against hers as they danced and how turned on she got. She remembered how she freaked out once she realized how close they had gotten. She remembered the douchebag and the argument. She remembered drinking a lot more and bitching to Rachel about how much of an ass the guy was for what he did and said to Brittany. She remembered more dancing and more drinking and just not caring about anything. She remembered Brittany leaving and being sad about her going, and then talking to Rachel when she started to tear up.

Oh God.

"Oh, fuck," Santana groaned as she buried her face in her hands.

"Santana, it's okay," Rachel soothed, putting her hand on Santana's arm to comfort her.

"I told you that I like her," Santana whispered, unable to believe that she had lost control over her armor long enough to confess that to Rachel.

She remembered how she had started to cry when Brittany walked out of the club last night, Kurt leaving at the same time. Rachel had asked her what was wrong, and Santana just started whimpering about how she didn't want Brittany to leave. Rachel tried to comfort her by saying that she would see Brittany again in a couple of days, but it wasn't enough for Santana. Santana broke down and told her friend that she wanted to see Brittany all of the time. She wanted to be with Brittany and hold her and kiss her. She recalled Rachel's triumphant grin at her words when Rachel asked if she liked Brittany as more than a friend, and how it widened when she said that she liked Brittany more than anyone else she had ever met.

Rachel had tried to keep talking about it, but Santana was too drunk to keep a coherent conversation apparently because all she remembered from that point was Rachel helping her home and into bed. After that, she must have passed out.

"You did," Rachel confirmed, making Santana wish she had never drank that much last night.

Santana lowered her hands and chanced a glance at her best friend. Rachel looked at her comfortingly.

"You're okay with that?" Santana asked, nervous that Rachel would hate her now

"Seriously?" Rachel asked incredulously. "I can't believe you would actually have to ask me that. Of course I'm okay with that!"

Santana let out a sigh of relief. She knew Rachel would be fine with her having feelings for a woman, but it didn't stop her from being afraid of telling anyone how she felt. She hadn't told anyone before. But it appears she got over that first hurdle.

"I know, I'm sorry," Santana said, shaking her head a little at her foolishness. "I just never told anybody before that I… that I'm…"

"That you're a lesbian?" Rachel asked gently.

Santana tensed briefly before nodding. "Yeah," she breathed out, glad to finally have someone to talk to about this. "I'm a lesbian."

Rachel gave her a proud smile, knowing that this was an important milestone for Santana. "Thank you for telling me."

Santana smiled a little, finding humor in the fact that Rachel was thanking her for telling her something she had already figured out. "Well, you're the first person I've ever said that to, so congratulations," she joked.

"I'm honored," Rachel said sincerely. "Although I kind of figured that was the case. Why haven't you said something sooner?"

Santana shrugged, looking away as she started to feel a little uncomfortable. "I just didn't know how to say anything," she explained. "Once I finally admitted it to myself it was kind of hard for me to jump right in to admitting it to anyone else. And it wasn't like I had started dating any girls or anything, so I didn't think it was important to start telling people yet."

"But now there's Brittany," Rachel said, understanding in her voice.

Santana sighed, looking back at her friend. "Now there's Brittany."

"I take it you haven't exactly felt like this about any other woman before?"

Santana shook her head. "Not even close. There's just something about her that I can't resist," Santana said, feeling a little breathless as she thought about Brittany. "She is beautiful and kind and funny and sweet and she makes my heart race and my thoughts jumble and I just want to know everything about her."

Rachel was grinning at her, seemingly unperturbed by her rambling on about how amazing Brittany was.

Santana paused, taking a deep breath. "And it all just scares the shit out of me," she admitted.

Rachel's grin faded into a look of understanding. "I know it can be scary when you find that person," she said. "The person who makes you feel everything you never thought you could before."

Santana grasped Rachel's hand, squeezing it in comfort. She knew Rachel was talking about Finn. Finn had been the love of her life, and when he died Santana had been there to help pick her back up in the aftermath. It took a long time for Rachel to start living life somewhat normally again, and Santana admired her for her strength.

"But you need to be brave, Santana," Rachel continued imploringly. "Brittany came into your life for a reason. You need to take that step and take that chance so you can start living the life you were meant to live."

Santana shook her head. "I can't," she protested.

"You can," Rachel said firmly.

"No, I can't," Santana argued. "Not only is she probably straight, she probably wouldn't even be interested in me if she wasn't. I don't know how to act with girls like that. I get all awkward and nervous and sweaty under my boobs and I just don't know how to take that step."

"It's okay to be nervous," Rachel said. "But you can't let it hold you back. You won't ever be happy if you let your fear keep stopping you. And just so you know, Brittany is bisexual."

Santana's eyes widened at that information. Her heart started to flutter in a way that she wasn't quite sure was good or bad. She swallowed hard. "She's not straight?"

Rachel gave a little laugh, amused at Santana's reaction. "No, she isn't. I noticed the way she would look at other girls in high school, but she didn't actually come out until college. Lima wasn't exactly very friendly to the gay community, and Brittany didn't have a lot of confidence to fully be herself since she was already bullied a little bit. And you are a very beautiful woman, Santana, so I don't think it would be far-fetched that she would be attracted to you as well."

Santana's mouth felt dry again. She stood up abruptly and got the bottle of water on the counter and took a big drink. Rachel was quiet for once, giving Santana a moment to try to let that information sink in and collect herself.

"Even if she was interested, I still can't do anything," Santana finally said, turning around to meet Rachel's eyes. Rachel opened her mouth as if to argue, but Santana didn't give her a chance. "I can't do anything because she is going to be my client. Once that contract is signed, nothing but a professional relationship could ever happen between us. The most we could ever be is an agent and a client who develop a friendship."

Rachel looked sad. "Your agency really takes that clause seriously?"

Santana nodded. "After that whole lawsuit from the woman who claimed that her agent promised to get her better roles if she slept with him, even though they had been dating for months before she ever signed with him, Mr. Carter is pretty strict with it."

Rachel sighed as she ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "Maybe you shouldn't sign her then," she suggested, causing Santana to look at her in shock. "I know I kind of pushed her on you for you to be her agent, and she would really benefit from you managing her career, but I really think that she would be better for you personally rather than professionally."

Santana let out a harsh laugh. "Well it isn't exactly up to you, is it?" Santana scoffed. Rachel looked a little hurt, and Santana felt bad. She took a breath to calm herself, and when she spoke next her words were softer. "I don't want to hurt her. She was so happy about me offering her a contract. I can't back out now. I can't do that to her. And I know how much she wants to succeed, and I want to do everything I can to make that happen."

Rachel gave her a look that Santana thought was a mixture of pity and admiration. "Even if that means you could never see if you could have something more with her?"

Santana sighed, looking down at the floor. "Even if it means that I want her and can never have her. I just want her to be happy."

"Oh, Santana," Rachel breathed, sadness oozing out of her. "Sometimes you are too nice for your own good."

Santana rolled her eyes, disagreeing with her friend.

"No, you are," Rachel argued. "I know you try to be tough all of the time, but when you really care about someone you always put their needs before your own. You deserve to be happy, too. Just please, promise me something?"

Santana moved back to the table and sat down across from the other woman. "I can try, I guess."

Rachel gave her a small smile, knowing that it was the best answer she would get. But her smile faded quickly as her concern for Santana grew. "Promise me that you will open yourself up to the possibility of a relationship. Even if you are scared or worried for whatever reason, just let yourself feel and let things happen. You just might be surprised at how amazing it turns out to be."

Santana's first instinct was to give a resounding 'no', but Rachel's pleading look and the true affection she saw in her best friend's eyes gave her pause. She thought about what Rachel was asking of her. She knew Rachel was right. She had her walls up so high that people couldn't even get close unless she let them. It was up to her to make the move toward finding that happiness she desired deep down. She needed to let her walls down and let people in. Only then could she possibly find love. The thought scared the shit out of her, but she didn't want to be a miserable bitch for the rest of her life.

"Okay," she agreed quietly.

Rachel gave her a disbelieving grin. "Really?"

Santana nodded, a shy smile taking over her lips. Rachel's grin widened and she squealed happily before standing up and lunging for Santana.

"Whoa, Berry," Santana cautioned as the other woman started to wrap her arms around her. "You know I'm not into your crazy hug attacks."

Rachel had paused warily as Santana stopped her. "Can I hug you?"

Santana smirked at Rachel's meek question, satisfied that she could still make people be a little afraid of her. "I guess," she conceded, and Rachel slowly but firmly wrapped her arms around her.

Santana leaned into the comforting hug, squeezing her friend back. She wasn't into hugging very much, but there were times when it was nice. She had needed this. And she honestly felt a lot better now that she had someone to talk to about everything. The only thing she needed to do now was take that feeling and let it help her on her journey to coming out and openly being the person she wanted to be.

That was easier said than done. She spent the rest of Saturday recuperating from her hangover. She hadn't gotten that drunk in awhile, and she couldn't remember the last time she felt as shitty. After spending the entirety of Saturday in yoga pants and a tank top and not leaving her apartment, she decided that she actually needed to do something on Sunday.

She met Kurt and Rachel for lunch, and thankfully (or not, she wasn't quite sure) Brittany didn't join them. As she half listened to Rachel go on about her play and Kurt bitching about how hard it was to find a good guy now that he and Blaine were officially over after Blaine cheated again (although Kurt had ended it months ago now), her thoughts drifted to what she and Rachel talked about the day before.

She knew she wanted Brittany as more than just a friend and client. But she couldn't once that contract was signed. She told herself, however, that if things developed she would let it happen. Santana didn't want to lose her job obviously, so she would have to stop anything before it got too far. But opening herself up to the feelings that Brittany gave her could help her learn to open up to others in general, so she could maybe get the courage to get a girlfriend one day.

She debated about whether or not to tell Kurt that she was a lesbian. She knew he wouldn't give a damn, since he was the gayest person she had ever met, but she didn't want him asking too many questions right now when she didn't really have a lot of answers. She especially didn't want to clue him in on her feelings for Brittany lest he tell the object of her affections or torture Santana mercilessly about it. No, she would wait until she knew a little bit more about where she stood before she told her friend.

As for her family, she definitely couldn't mention it yet. She was terrified of what would happen if her grandmother found out, and if she told her parents then she knew it wouldn't be long before they told her abuela. She would wait until it became necessary to tell them, which would be when she had a girlfriend. Or at least when she had started dating women.

Rachel was amazing with her deflections when Kurt seemed to notice Santana's wandering mind. She sent Rachel grateful looks, and thankfully Kurt was easily diverted to other topics.

Santana spent the rest of her Sunday thinking about Monday and her meeting with Brittany. She wanted to see the blonde again almost desperately, but she was also terrified about it. Now that she knew that there was a chance that Brittany could return her feelings, she really didn't know how to act around her. She would just have to try to keep her professional mask on, no matter how much she wanted to abandon it in favor of the closeness she had dancing with Brittany Friday night.

Needless to say, Santana was a bit distracted throughout the morning on Monday. She hadn't slept that well the night before and her mind wasn't on the clients that she needed it to be.

When it was near the time for Brittany's appointment, Santana's heart pounded with nerves as she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," she called, sitting up a little straighter in her chair.

The door opened and a blonde head shyly peeked in. Santana's heart started to flutter as Brittany started to enter her office. She forced herself not to concentrate on how beautiful the other woman looked or how her stomach was doing flips at the sight of her. She rose from her chair and walked over to Brittany, her professional mask in place to hide the reactions that Brittany caused in her.

"Good to see you, Brittany," she smiled, offering her hand to shake.

Brittany took it, smiling as she shook Santana's hand. "Good to see you," she echoed.

Santana was starting to get used to the tingles that contact with Brittany's skin caused, but it didn't mean that it didn't still affect her. She cleared her throat as she realized that they were still just standing there, holding on to each other's hands. They awkwardly separated, and Santana closed the door behind Brittany and indicated for her to sit down.

Santana went to her desk and pulled out the contract that she had prepared for Brittany and sat down across from her.

"So, if you are still interested," she began, laying the contract on the desk between them, "this is the contract. Basically, it lays out the standard terms of Carter Talent agreeing to represent you. It also includes my specific terms, which are that I will do negotiation for you with casting directors to get you the best deal, I will agree to handle any contract disputes for your roles, I will help you, if you so desire, with managing your income by setting you up with financial planners. You will pay me 10% of what you earn from the roles that I help you get. And- this isn't in the contract- I will be there for you as a support system. I know that this is a new business to you and it can be tricky to make your way through all of the shit that goes on. You have my office number and my cell number, so feel free to call me for help. Whether you are having trouble deciding what to wear to an audition or you have a leaky faucet that is causing you to lose sleep, you can call me. I want you to be your best for your auditions so you can get jobs, and that means that I will do what you need to help you achieve that."

Brittany sat there listening to her with wide eyes as she laid out the basic outline of the contract. That was part of the reason why she emphasized so much about Brittany calling her for help if she needed it. She didn't want Brittany to feel overwhelmed, and Santana could help her.

Brittany studied her for a moment, her stunned demeanor morphing into something Santana couldn't read. "You'll do anything I need?"

The tone of Brittany's voice caused Santana's stomach to flip and arousal to start a slow burn deep inside of her. Santana swallowed hard and played with the edges of the contract on the desk as her eyes became fixated on it.

"Anything that doesn't breach the terms of the contract or breaks the law," she squeaked out. She cleared her throat again, embarrassed at how Brittany affected her with a simple, innocent question that she was sure she was reading far too much into.

Brittany was silent, which was what spurred Santana to look back up at her. Brittany had a little smile on her face, but she seemed disappointed by something.

"You're pretty awesome," Brittany finally said, her smile growing and her eyes twinkling at Santana.

Santana felt heat rise to her face and she was grateful her complexion could hide her blush. As it was, her eyes darted back down to her hands on the contract and her lips turned up into a small but pleased smile.

"I just want the best for my clients, so I try to be the best I can for them," she said, hiding deeper meaning behind her simple words. She wanted Brittany, and she wanted Brittany to want her. But it was best for Brittany's career for Santana to push that aside, and she would do her damnedest to make sure Brittany had the best career she possibly could. Santana really was in so much trouble, and she knew it. This blonde woman had turned everything upside down.

"Then I'm glad I get to be your client," Brittany told her happily.

Santana was glad that she made the decision to still represent Brittany, despite her feelings. She knew she could be the best possible agent for Brittany, and the other woman was clearly happy to have her in her corner.

"So here is the contract," Santana said, finally realizing that she still hadn't handed it to Brittany. She slid it across the desk, and Brittany reached for it and pulled it to her without even looking at it. "I recommend that you look it over, and if you have any questions or anything you want to negotiate, then we can take care of that now."

Brittany smiled at her again. "You would be mad at me if I didn't read it, wouldn't you?"

Santana chuckled. "I wouldn't be mad necessarily, I would just strongly advise you to read over it. As someone looking out for your best interests, I wouldn't want you to get screwed over."

Brittany just kept smiling and gave a little shake of her head before she started to read the contract. Apart from a few questions regarding some legal words, Brittany didn't have too much to say regarding the terms. Santana watched her closely, unable to resist looking at the way her lips would occasionally mouth some of the words on the page or the way her brows would furrow as she read. There was one point that Brittany frowned at what she read, and Santana was surprised that no question or comment came from her.

Once she was finished, Brittany looked back up at her. Though she had been watching her the whole time, Santana was still startled when bright blue eyes met hers. She squirmed a little, feeling like she had been caught doing something wrong, but Brittany didn't seem to notice anything strange.

"So these are pretty standard terms you guys offer?" Brittany asked.

"For the most part, yes," Santana told her. "All of Carter Talent's terms have to be included in any contract we offer. My own terms can change based on the client, but I usually only change the amount I charge a client. I start someone new to the business out at a 10% fee since that is pretty standard. If your career takes off, then the fee could be something I try to renegotiate with you when the contract is up for renewal. If you were an established actress, then I would have asked for a higher fee since you would likely be making a higher income. As you can see, all of Carter Talent's terms are identified by the agency's name in the specific clause. Anything that is part of my terms is identified by my name being included."

Brittany chewed her bottom lip a little, drawing Santana's eyes to Brittany's mouth. God, she wanted to kiss her. That lip biting thing better not be a common habit, because it was already driving Santana wild.

"So Carter Talent's terms are pretty set?" Brittany asked.

"Apart from a few minor things, they are non-negotiable," Santana confirmed. "Unfortunately I couldn't do much to change any of those for you. If you are dead set against any of those terms, then I would advise you not to sign. If you have anything specifically related to my terms that you would like to negotiate, then I can work with you."

Brittany shook her head. "No, everything looks good," she said. "I talked to Rachel a little before I came here and she gave me an idea of what to expect with the contract. Since she had a lawyer actually look over hers- which I find disrespectful by the way, since you're her friend- I trust what she and you have told me."

Santana laughed, amused by Brittany's offense by Rachel having a lawyer get involved. "Actually, I advised Rachel to have a lawyer look over the contract," she informed the blonde. "Since Rachel was actually the first client I signed, I wanted to make sure that everything was perfect, particularly since she is my friend."

"Oh," Brittany said, looking a little ashamed. Then her face split out into a big grin, surprising Santana but making her smile in return at how Brittany lit up. "I was right. You are awesome."

Santana rolled her eyes in an effort to brush off the pleasure that raced through her at Brittany complimenting her again. "I'm not that awesome," she argued. "But if everything looks good, then we can get the contract signed and I can start looking for jobs for you."

"Can I get a pen?" Brittany asked, her blue eyes sparkling.

Santana grinned and handed her a pen. Brittany signed her name in all the indicated places, and Santana did the same when Brittany handed it back.

"So, here's a copy of the contract for you," Santana said, reaching into her drawer where she stashed a second copy. "This is just a record of what you signed, and you can see that it has 'copy' all over it so it isn't an actual contract."

Brittany took it from her while Santana filed the contract into the folder she had made for her.

"Now what?" Brittany asked curiously.

"Now I get to hustling my ass to find you work," Santana said playfully. Brittany smiled. "I already have some leads on roles that I think would be good for you, and now that you are officially my client I can start contacting the people I know to see if I can get you scripts and auditions."

Brittany nodded. "Cool."

"Definitely," Santana agreed. "I will call you when I get something for you. And in the meantime, if you have any questions or you need anything that I can help with, then give me a call. Okay?"

"Okay," Brittany confirmed. "This is really happening?"

Santana smiled at Brittany's awed look. "It is, Britt."

Brittany grinned again. "Thank you so much."

Santana just shook her head, indicating that it really wasn't a big deal. She stood up and walked around the desk to meet Brittany who stood up to meet her. They shook hands a final time, and Santana got the feeling that Brittany held herself back from hugging her instead. Santana was both relieved and a little disappointed that she did.

She was pleased with the events of the day. She told herself that she could handle this. She hoped she could handle it.

 **A/N: So Santana finally came out to someone! Such a huge step for her! And she admitted to Rachel that she has feelings for Brittany. Do you think she was right or wrong for still offering to represent Brittany? And do you think she will actually be open to a relationship with a woman yet?**

 **What do you guys think Brittany was thinking about when she was looking over the contract? Do you think she had any second thoughts? Any other thoughts or opinions? What do you think is gonna happen next?**

 **Also, if you guys want you can follow me on tumblr- everdreaming3 on there!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Brittany was pleased. She had gotten home from Santana's office a little while ago and had shared the good news with her parents and Quinn.

She thought back over the events of her meeting with her (now official) agent. Santana had looked so amazing, as usual. Brittany loved looking at her. But what gave her the biggest smile was at how selfless Santana really was.

The fact that Santana offered to help her clients in more ways than just getting them roles made Brittany like her that much more. She had never felt this strongly about anyone she was attracted to before. Definitely not any other woman, and not even in the beginning with the guys she had dated. Those relationships had always started off slowly and the feelings developed over time.

With Santana, the feelings were hitting her hard and fast. Brittany knew how much trouble she was in now. The fact that there was a specific part in her contract with Santana and the talent agency that said that there could not be any fatherization (or whatever it was called) between them was not pleasing to see. Brittany had wanted to see if that could be removed from the contract so the possibility of a romantic relationship was possible, but was disappointed when Santana said that anything the agency laid out in the contract was pretty much not able to be changed.

Everything else with the meeting had gone amazingly. Santana already said that she had some leads on auditions for her, and Santana promised to help her with anything that she might need help with. Brittany knew Santana was such a good person when she did that. And she couldn't help but love the little bit of embarrassment that Santana clearly felt when she asked if she would really do anything Brittany wanted. Brittany hadn't really meant anything dirty by the question, but she couldn't help but think it when Santana got a little flustered.

Santana was just too sexy and sweet. Brittany really wanted to be with her. She had wanted to hug her before she left the office and feel her body close to hers again like she had when they danced the other night. She wanted to feel her in her arms.

Brittany's thoughts were interrupted when her phone rang. She glanced at the screen and saw Rachel's name pop up.

"Hey, Rachel," she greeted her friend.

"Hi, Brittany! How was your meeting with Santana today?"

Brittany smiled, knowing that Rachel was just as excited about her signing the contract as she was. "It was really great," Brittany said. "Santana is seriously amazing. She told me that if I needed help with anything just to call her and that she already has been scouting auditions for me."

"She is pretty amazing," Rachel agreed. "She is one of the best friends I could ever have, and I know that she will put her clients as her first priority. And she does the same for her friends, which I am pretty sure you are well on your way to becoming."

Brittany grinned and leaned back into the couch dreamily, remembering the events of Friday night and what Kurt had said. "Yeah, Kurt told me that he thought I was becoming Santana's friend. I couldn't believe it," Brittany told Rachel.

"You can believe it, Brittany," Rachel said. "She told me that she wanted to make sure you had the best possible career, and, although she works hard for all of her clients, she works the hardest for her friends. I know she really likes you."

Brittany's heart skipped a beat at Rachel saying that Santana liked her. She knew Rachel didn't mean it the way she wanted her to, but she couldn't help but wish it. Brittany did know that Santana found her attractive, but that certainly didn't mean that she had the same feelings developing that Brittany did.

"I really like her, too," Brittany said, then realized how that sounded. She didn't want Rachel to think that she liked Santana like that just in case it would jeopardize anything with the contract. "I mean, she is going to be a great agent."

Rachel was silent for a brief moment. "She is great, and I know that she will help you find jobs right away. But I hope that you guys can maybe become more than just agent and client."

Brittany frowned, unsure what exactly Rachel meant. "Okay," she said, dragging the word out. "I thought we were already maybe friends."

"Yeah, of course!" Rachel hurried to say. "I just meant that I hoped that you didn't think you couldn't be friends after you signed the contract. I didn't mean anything else by that."

Brittany thought Rachel was acting strangely, but she wasn't sure why so she just decided to let it go. "Sure. I would still like to be her friend," she agreed. "Besides, she said I could call her if I needed help or anything, which is more like a friend than an agent, right?"

"Exactly! And she will do it, too. So if anything happens, then just don't hesitate to call her or anything," Rachel said, then paused. Her tone was much more subdued when she spoke again. "Listen, Brittany, I just really care about Santana and she doesn't get very close to people. I think that she could use another really good friend, and I was hoping that maybe that could be you."

Brittany felt a huge surge of affection for her friend. She wasn't super close with Rachel, but she had been friendly with her for nearly eight years now and that counted for a lot. Rachel could often be selfish and obnoxious, but she did care about her friends. The very fact that she was trying to help Santana out showed how much she really did care. Brittany hoped that she could be that friend Santana was looking for too, since she couldn't hope for anything more.

"I hope so too, Rachel," she said truthfully. "I just feel like I should know her, and I feel that we could be really close."

"I'm really glad to hear that," Rachel said, and Brittany could hear the smile in her voice. "Just don't let her pull away from you, no matter what happens. She has a tendency to get scared when people start to get close, but if you push past her fear then she is one of the best people you could ever wish for in your life."

Brittany smiled softly, knowing that her earlier assessments of Santana were spot on. She definitely didn't want Santana to pull away from her ever, and she wouldn't let that happen. "Thanks for the advice."

"No problem. And Brittany?"

"Yeah?"

"Just… be careful with her," Rachel said hesitantly. "She tries to act tough all the time, but she is actually pretty sensitive. Not that I think you would hurt her, but this is… well, she has been closed off for a long time and she hasn't had a new… uh, friend… in awhile. So it may be rocky at points, but if you help her through it I think it would be great for you both."

Brittany was really confused. It seemed like Rachel was trying to tell her something bigger than just about how to become Santana's friend without actually telling her what she meant.

"Rachel, what exactly are you trying to say? Because this is like that time that Lord Tubbington tried to tell me that he was thinking about leaving home after he met that nice pussy down the street but he kept saying things about how he needed space to be free and learn to be grown up instead," Brittany said, hoping that Rachel would get her point to stop hiding the true meaning of her words.

Rachel sighed, and Brittany could hear a little frustration and dismay in the sound. "I just want Santana to be happy, and she hasn't really been happy since I've known her," Rachel explained. "I think you can help her find some happiness."

Brittany rubbed her hand over her face, dissatisfied with Rachel's answer. She had no problem having fun with Santana and trying to cheer her up, but she didn't know why it was necessary that it was _her_ that did it. Why weren't Rachel and Kurt able to help with Santana's happiness? The only thing Brittany could think of that would make sense was that Santana was unhappy because she was lonely in a romantic sense. Brittany wouldn't have a problem in helping her with that, but Rachel didn't say anything other than being Santana's friend. And, now that they signed a contract, they couldn't be anything more than friends. Brittany wasn't sure what to do.

"I'll do my best," Brittany said, hoping that she could figure something out that would help her friends out.

"I really appreciate it, Brittany," Rachel enthused. "But I should probably go now. Kurt is expecting me for dinner this evening. Though you are welcome to join us if you would like."

Brittany accepted, since she had nothing else planned for the evening. She had a pretty good time with them, though she was kind of disappointed that Santana wasn't there.

By Wednesday, Brittany still hadn't heard from Santana about any auditions. She was nervous that maybe her agent was having trouble finding her any potential auditions, but she calmed herself knowing that Santana would do whatever she could to find her something. She trusted Santana.

She had gone out to the park after doing some dance practice to enjoy the beautiful weather. It was June, but it wasn't too hot yet in the city. She had a great walk around the park, stopping to sit on a bench for awhile just to look at the scenery. Brittany watched people enjoying their time in the park. She felt sorry for the people dressed up for work, constantly in a rush and unable to enjoy the day. She smiled at the kids running around playing. She was really happy she had made the decision to come to the city.

Brittany started on her way back to her apartment, still upbeat and optimistic. It wasn't until she felt a hard shove behind her and her knees and hands hitting the pavement hard that she realized someone was tugging her bag off of her shoulder. She instinctually grabbed onto the strap of the bag, tugging it back towards her body. The person attempting to mug her didn't relent and aimed a kick at her body in an effort to loosen her grip. Brittany tried to dodge as best as she could on her knees, but the man's (she could see it was a guy now) foot connected solidly into her side. It was enough to loosen her grip, and the mugger slid the bag out of her hands and took off.

Brittany fell forward with the tugging motion and tried to make it to her feet to run after him, but she winced at the sharp pain in her side and was too slow. By the time she made it to her feet, he was already too far for her to catch up with.

Brittany felt tears starting to pool in her eyes. She had gone from an incredible high of enjoying the beautiful day in the city to getting mugged and assaulted. There wasn't too much of value in the bag. Just the clothes she had danced in earlier and her wallet. There wasn't much cash in there, but her ID was in there. Thankfully she had left her debit and credit card at home, not really needing them for what she had planned for the day. But it still sucked.

She sat down on the grass, leaning her head against her knees as the full extent of what happened hit her. God, she could have been seriously hurt. She shouldn't have even fought for the bag. What if he had a weapon? She was lucky he just kicked her and ran off. She didn't lose anything too valuable. She kept her key in her pocket since she tended to lose it if it wasn't. And she had her cell phone in her shorts pocket, so she could call the police or someone. She was really upset by the fact that no one even stopped to ask if she was okay or offered to help her. Everyone in the near vicinity just kept going on about their day as if nothing bad had just happened.

Brittany knew she needed to do something, so she pulled out her cell phone and called the only number she could think of calling at the moment.

"Santana Lopez," the voice rang out over the line.

"Hi. It's Brittany Pierce," she said, knowing she sounded completely defeated. At least she had kept the tears at bay.

"Hi, Brittany," Santana said pleasantly, unaware of Brittany's mood. "I haven't got you any auditions lined up yet, if that's what you're calling about."

"It's not," she said, her voice choking up. She shouldn't have called to bother Santana. "I'm sorry for bothering you. You probably have work to do."

"No, it's perfectly okay," Santana assured her, realizing something was going on. "What's the matter? Did something happen?"

"Uh, yeah," Brittany said, her tears starting to come now that she was going to have to tell someone what happened. "I just got mugged."

"Oh my God! Are you okay? Did you call the police? Do you need to go to the hospital? Where are you? I will meet you," Santana rushed out. Brittany could hear the panic in the Latina's voice, and the noises in the background indicated that she was grabbing things to make her way to Brittany.

"Um," Brittany said, unsure of which question to answer first. "I didn't call the police yet. I think I'm okay, but he kicked me pretty hard on my side. And I'm at Central Park."

"Where exactly in the park are you? I will meet you there, so don't leave."

Brittany relayed her location in the park to Santana, who told her that she would be there in fifteen minutes and told her to call the police. Brittany did, and was not happy to explain what had happened to the operator. She was promised that an officer would be with her shortly. So she waited.

After about ten minutes, a uniformed officer was making his way toward her. She stood up to meet him.

"Are you the person who reported a mugging?" The officer asked.

Brittany nodded. The officer introduced himself as Officer Thomas, and he was friendly and considerate. She answered his questions and described everything as best as she could. She was mad at herself for not getting a better look at the guy. She just knew he was wearing a blue shirt, was white, and had dark hair. She wasn't even sure of how tall he was or his eye color or anything. She was in the middle of telling Officer Thomas this when she heard her name being yelled.

Brittany turned toward the sound of the voice, relieved when she saw Santana making her way quickly toward her. Santana was doing her best to nearly run in her heels, and it made Brittany smile despite how shitty things had gone for her earlier.

"Thanks for coming, Santana," she told the woman when she finally reached them. "You really didn't have to, but I didn't know who else to call."

Santana shook her head, bent over a little at her waist as she tried to catch her breath. "I told you to call me if you needed anything, and I meant it. I'm glad you did," she said, once she was breathing a little more normally.

Brittany didn't even think about what she was doing as she reached out and took Santana's hand in her own, clasping it tightly. Santana looked surprised momentarily before she just smiled and squeezed comfortingly.

Officer Thomas got Brittany's attention again and asked her if she could remember anything else about the mugger.

"No, I really can't," she said. "Just that he was really fast. After he kicked me and I let go of the bag, he was already all the way over by those trees before I could stand up."

She indicated a small cluster of trees about fifty yards away. Officer Thomas nodded and made a note.

"So he kicked you?"

Brittany nodded. "Yeah, in my side. He pushed me down first and then kicked me when I tried to hold onto the bag."

Santana took in a sharp breath beside her, and Brittany's hand was squeezed even tighter. She looked over at her agent to see a scowl on Santana's face. She was clearly upset.

"I recommend you go to the hospital to get checked out," the officer said. "Make sure he didn't break anything, and at least get those scrapes on your knees cleaned up."

Brittany's eyes widened as she looked down at her knees. Sure enough, there was blood dripping down her shins, although it was mostly dried now. She hadn't even realized she was bleeding. Her side had been the most painful, and her hands had hurt when she hit the ground but she had noticed that those weren't bleeding when she called Santana. She never looked at her knees, but now that she had she could feel the sharp stinging pain from the scrapes. Added onto the ache in her side, she knew it was going to be a rough night.

"I will take her straight to the hospital once we're done here," Santana promised for her.

Brittany looked back at Santana gratefully, glad that she had someone there to help her through this. She didn't think she really needed to go to the hospital, but she knew that she wasn't going to get out of it.

The police officer seemed appeased by Santana's declaration. "So Ms. Pierce, I hate to tell you but the odds are that we won't be able to catch this guy," he explained. "We will do our best, but with a lack of description and the fact that we have no other witnesses to tell us exactly which way he went or to give us a better idea of what he looks like, we don't really have much to work with."

Brittany nodded, understanding that it was a long shot to begin with. Santana made a quiet but disgusted noise next to her, but didn't say anything.

"Since you reported that there were no credit cards or anything in there, you don't need to worry about cancelling those. But you will need to get a new ID as soon as you can, and I would recommend keeping your door locked since he has your address now," Officer Thomas continued.

Brittany's heart pounded in fear. She hadn't even thought of that. Santana stiffened beside her and squeezed her hand almost painfully. Clearly Santana hadn't either.

"Jesus Christ," Santana murmured. "Can she get like police protection or something?"

Officer Thomas looked amused, but apologetic. "Since no direct threat has been made against her, we can't do anything like that. I'm sorry to make you worry, but I only mentioned it since he may be looking to break in for some more goodies since he didn't get much," he said. "It is unlikely though, since he was more interested in grabbing and running than getting into a big altercation."

Brittany's fears were calmed only slightly now that the officer had mentioned it. She knew he was right and that the mugger likely wouldn't even come anywhere near her place, but after what had just happened she wasn't able to get the thought out of her head that he would come after her again.

"That's ridiculous," Santana complained. "How can you say that he won't come after her?"

"Santana, it's okay," Brittany said, rubbing her thumb on the back of Santana's hand soothingly. "It will be fine. He's right, the guy was just after an easy pick. I wasn't paying attention and I was a good mark."

Santana looked at her unhappily, wanting to argue but knowing she wouldn't get anywhere with the police. She sighed and just nodded, relaxing a little.

"I will call you if we find your things or if we catch the guy," the officer said. "You can always call the station and check if you don't hear anything from us in a couple of weeks."

"Okay. Thank you," Brittany said, understanding that the officer was finished getting everything he needed from her.

"Go get yourself checked out," he said kindly before nodding to them both and heading off.

Brittany sighed and ran her hand through her hair. She turned to face Santana, who was looking at her with concern.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," Brittany answered honestly.

Santana frowned. "Are you going to be okay to walk to a cab?"

"Yeah," Brittany answered. "But you really don't have to stay with me. I can take myself to the hospital. I'm sure you have stuff to do."

Santana just gave her a look that meant she wasn't going to listen to Brittany. "Nothing is more important than helping a friend when they really need it," Santana told her, and she could see how much Santana meant what she said.

"Okay," she gave in.

Santana started to walk slowly, watching Brittany closely to make sure that she was doing okay. Santana still hadn't let go of Brittany's hand, which secretly thrilled her. And also helped to take her mind away from the twinges of pain that went through her side when she took a step. It wasn't that bad, but it sure as hell didn't feel good.

Brittany hadn't lied though. She could make it to a cab. She was grateful when they finally got into one, and Santana directed the driver to take them to the nearest hospital.

Brittany was kind of worried about going to the hospital. She didn't think anything was seriously wrong, but if there was then how would she work? She wouldn't be able to do anything very active, which meant dance auditions were out. And if she had to do anything strenuous in an audition then how could she cope? God, she had just been on top of the world and now she was stressed beyond belief.

"Hey, what's going on in that head of yours?" Santana asked, noticing that Brittany was stressing.

"It's just, what if I can't go on auditions, San?" Brittany asked, her nervousness coming out. "If I am seriously hurt, I can't dance and that limits what auditions I can do. And I just signed with you and if I can't deliver then you probably won't even want me as a client anymore."

"Britt," Santana said, breaking her out of her rambling. "If it is anything serious, then I will deal with it with your auditions. It won't affect your career, I promise. And I certainly wouldn't drop you as a client for something that wasn't even your fault."

Brittany calmed considerably at the Latina's words. She knew Santana would do her best to help her. Hell, she dropped everything to come help her even though they had known each other for a little over a week when Brittany called. She couldn't be more grateful for Santana.

The wait at the emergency room seemed to take forever. Not even Santana's glare or threats were able to speed up the time they had to sit there. Brittany started to feel really tired. The adrenaline from the encounter had worn off, and her eyelids were getting heavy. Santana told her to rest and that she would wake her if she fell asleep when they called for her.

Brittany dozed a little, but she was awake enough to hear her name being called. She lifted her head off of Santana's shoulder where it had somehow ended up. She stood up and hesitated, not wanting to leave Santana but unsure if she wanted to come back with her.

"Did you want me to come back with you?" Santana asked, standing up with her.

Brittany bit her lip as she thought for a moment. She really wanted Santana with her, but she was afraid that she was being too needy. But she really didn't want to deal with the doctor alone, especially when Santana offered to go with her.

"You wouldn't mind?"

Santana smiled softly at her. "Of course not. I'm here for whatever you need."

Brittany felt so much lighter, despite the events of the day. They made their way back to a curtained bed after all of her vital information was taken down. Santana kept her mind off of the wait for the doctor. The doctor did a quick check of her scraped knees and cleaned them up and bandaged them. Then he checked out her side. Santana gasped at the large bruise that was forming already on her side. The doctor prodded her side as gently as he could, but it still hurt. She watched Santana, who grimaced in empathized pain and a little anger as the doctor made her side hurt when he touched it. Finally, she was sent back for x-rays to check for broken ribs.

When she came back, she found Santana still waiting for her, concentrating on something on her phone. She didn't seem too pleased, but when she saw Brittany she put her phone away and smiled at her.

"How did it go?"

Brittany rolled her eyes as the orderly helped her onto the bed. "It went," she said, frustration at this whole ordeal starting to get to her. "I just want this all to be over with."

"I know," Santana sympathized. "I texted Rachel about what was going on. She is being her usual overdramatic self."

Brittany chuckled, wincing a little as the pain in her side made itself known again. "What else is new?"

"She is making a big production about everything, and offering to have everyone over at her place to cheer you up and essentially bring attention on her," Santana said scathingly.

Brittany smiled knowingly at Santana. That was Rachel. "Well, I can tell her that I certainly don't want a party to be thrown to highlight my mugging," she said dryly.

Santana smirked back at her, before she got serious again. "Listen," she began, "I know Rachel and Kurt are your friends too and you've known them a long time, so I would understand if you would rather stay with them. But I don't think you should be alone tonight, much less at your apartment after what that cop said. So, if you want… I mean, that's if it is okay- um, you can stay at my place."

Brittany watched as Santana looked so completely flustered and adorable. Santana wouldn't look at her, instead she was focusing on a spot on the floor. She couldn't stop the grin from coming over her face at how cute Santana was being over something as simple offering to have her stay at her place so she wouldn't be alone and afraid. And her heart skipped a beat at the thought of spending the night at Santana's apartment. Obviously not the circumstances she would like it to be, but it was more time with Santana nonetheless.

"Santana," she said softly, getting the other woman to look up at her. Santana seemed to relax a little as she saw Brittany's smile. "That would be really great, if it wouldn't put you out too much. You've done so much for me already today, and I don't want to impose on you anymore if you would rather just be alone."

Santana's lips gave the smallest curl and the confidence came back into her eyes. "I don't mind at all," she assured Brittany. "You wouldn't be an imposition, and I would feel a lot better knowing you are going to have someone to take care of you tonight."

Brittany nearly melted at Santana's obvious care and concern for her. God, if she didn't already have feelings for Santana, she most definitely would now. "Thank you," she said. "It means a lot."

Santana nodded, and Brittany could tell that she was back to normal. Thankfully, it wasn't too much longer before the doctor came back and told her that she just had some badly bruised ribs. She was prescribed some painkillers and told to take it easy for a couple of weeks and finally sent on her way.

"So did you want to go back to your place and pick up some things? Or I am sure I have some clothes you could borrow if you would rather not," Santana offered as they headed out of the hospital.

"If you wouldn't mind, I would really just like to go relax," Brittany said. "I'm really tired, so if I could just borrow some of your sweats or something I would be forever grateful."

Santana smiled. "No problem," she said. "We can head to my apartment and get you relaxing, and I can go get your prescription and pick up some dinner, if you want?"

Brittany nodded, relieved that Santana was willing to help her so much. She really just wanted to lay down and take a nap and take some pills so her pain went away. Santana really was turning out to be awesome and more than she could have ever asked for.

 **A/N: So Brittany did have some hesitation about signing the contract, to no one's surprise lol. What do you guys think about her conversation with Rachel? Do you think she'll figure out exactly what Rachel was hinting at?**

 **And now Brittany is going to be staying at Santana's apartment! What do you guys think Santana is thinking about that? What will happen with that situation?**

 **Any other thoughts or comments?**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Santana was freaking out. She was leading Brittany into her apartment with the knowledge that the woman would be spending the night. In the same apartment as Santana. All night.

She needed to get a grip on herself. She knew nothing was going to happen between them. Not only was Brittany officially her client now, but she was hurt. Santana would rather get hit by a car than make Brittany's pain worse, which she knew it would if she did the things her mind kept putting into her head at the thought of the dancer being in her apartment throughout the night.

Santana really needed to concentrate on making Brittany comfortable and feeling better.

"So, this is it," she said as she closed the door behind them.

"Wow, this is nice," Brittany said, taking in the space.

Santana wasn't making a ton of money at her job, but she did make a pretty good income. She liked to live comfortably, so she found an apartment that gave her that comfort. It was still only a one bedroom, but she had a great view and a nice modern interior.

"Thanks." She smiled at Brittany. "So, if you want, I can get you some clothes to change into and you can either shower or take a bath or whatever you want to do to relax. I'll go get your prescription and some dinner so you don't have to worry about that."

Brittany smiled shyly back at her. "A bath actually sounds really great," she said. "But you don't really need to do all of that."

Santana shook her head. "No arguing," she stated. "I will run you a bubble bath and get you some clothes, and you can relax while I go out. Then you can sleep or whatever after you take your medicine."

Brittany just nodded, so Santana led her to the bathroom. She had a decent sized tub, so it would give Brittany plenty of space to just soak and relax. She started the water and got it to a good temperature before plugging the drain. She maneuvered around Brittany to get to the cabinet under the sink where she kept the bubbles. Once she got the bottle, she gave Brittany a little smile as she went back to the tub and poured some in.

The bubbles started to foam up in the water, and Santana was satisfied. She opened the linen closet door and pulled out a towel for Brittany and set it on the counter.

"So, what would you prefer to wear? Shorts, sweats…?" Santana asked, trailing off the question so she didn't become awkward by offering Brittany every possible piece of clothing she owned to wear.

"Shorts and a t-shirt are fine, San," she answered.

Santana nodded and headed out of the bathroom to retrieve said items. She was doing another little internal freak-out at the thought of picking out some of her clothes for Brittany to wear. Just knowing that Brittany was going to have the clothes that she wore touching her skin sent a strange thrill through her.

She took a calming breath, telling herself to calm the fuck down, and pulled out an old pair of cheerleading shorts that she liked to wear when she wanted to relax, and an oversized t-shirt. After she gathered the clothes, she headed back to the bathroom where Brittany was standing in front of the mirror with her shirt raised below her breasts examining her large bruise.

Santana's heart stopped as her eyes focused on the big purplish blemish on otherwise perfect skin. She hated that Brittany had to go through that today. The thought of something more serious happening to the blonde scared Santana to death. They barely knew each other, yet Santana knew that she would be devastated if Brittany had been more hurt than a bruise on her side and some scrapes.

She lifted her eyes to meet Brittany's looking back at her in the mirror. Santana cleared her throat and averted her eyes as Brittany let her shirt drop, covering her amazing abs. Santana hated seeing the bruise, but she hated the fact that Brittany's beautiful body was hurt in the first place.

"I got you some clothes," Santana said, holding out the items to Brittany.

Brittany smiled in thanks and took them from her. Santana turned to the tub and noticed that it was almost full, so she headed over and double checked the temperature to make sure it hadn't gotten too hot or cold while it was filling. Everything seemed to be good, so she turned the water off before turning back to the other woman.

"So, I figured I would just get some Chinese for dinner, if that's okay with you?" Santana asked.

"Chinese is good," Brittany said.

After finding out what Brittany wanted to eat, Santana left her in the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She went and picked up the paper that had Brittany's prescription for pain medicine on it, and grabbed her purse before heading out the door to run her errands.

She texted Rachel and Kurt quickly, telling them that Brittany was staying with her for the night and that she wasn't up to visitors after the whole ordeal. She also told them that Brittany was doing okay, just sore and tired, and the woman just wanted to relax and have a quiet night.

Kurt texted back, telling her that he understood and hoped that Brittany was feeling better. Rachel wasn't so laid back, and in fact called Santana as she was waiting at the pharmacy for Brittany's prescription to be filled.

"What, Berry?" Santana answered, annoyed.

"Santana, I am merely concerned about Brittany," Rachel said defensively. "There is no need to get snippy."

"Rachel," Santana groaned. "I understand your concern. I truly do. But I told you that she is doing okay, and that she just wants to relax. I offered to let her stay with me since she shouldn't be alone tonight."

"But don't you think she would benefit from having her friends with her, providing her comfort?"

Santana rolled her eyes and bit back a biting retort. "That's not what she wants," she explained. "She wants to sleep, Rachel. She probably needs to sleep so her body can recover from everything."

"Okay," Rachel gave in. "But are you sure she is best staying with you? I mean, she barely knows you. And, if you aren't comfortable with her staying with you due to your feelings for her, I am more than willing to have her stay with me."

Santana's stomach flipped at Rachel mentioning her feelings for Brittany. She knew it would be a lot for her to handle with having Brittany stay with her due to her crush. She knew it would only make her feelings grow being that close with her. But her concern for Brittany far outweighed any concern she had over being in close proximity with her client for the evening and into the next day.

"I offered and she accepted," Santana said. "If she didn't want to stay with me, she would have said something. And don't worry about me, Berry. I will be fine."

"If you're sure," Rachel said. Santana could swear she heard satisfaction in the other woman's voice, but she had no clue why she would.

She shook it off and replied, "I'm sure."

"Okay. Well maybe she will be up for visitors tomorrow or something," Rachel said.

"I'll check with her and let you guys know," Santana said as she heard Brittany's prescription being called for pick-up. "I've gotta go, Rachel. I'll talk to you later."

She disconnected the call and paid for the medicine, scowling at the cost of the prescription. Brittany didn't have her insurance information with her since it was in her wallet that was stolen, so she had to pay out of pocket for the medication for now. No way was Santana letting the woman try to pay her back after knowing how much it cost.

She headed to the Chinese restaurant that was on her way back to her apartment. She had called their order in on her way to the pharmacy, so it was ready for her to pay and take it home when she got there.

There were times when Santana liked living in the city. The fact that she could get everything she needed just within a few blocks of her home was a definite plus. The reason why she was getting all of this stuff though was a major con.

Santana had come to New York from the suburbs of Pittsburgh. She had been raised in a nice home in a nice town and had only gone into the city with her parents for the most part. She knew deep down though that she was a city girl at heart, and New York was her dream. She loved this city, even with the bad things. But she really hated that Brittany had to experience any of the bad.

She made it back to her apartment with their food and Brittany's pills, throwing her purse and keys on the table by the door. She looked around and didn't see Brittany. Figuring she must still be in the tub, she set the bags on the kitchen table and headed toward the bathroom.

"Brittany?" Santana asked as she knocked lightly on the door.

She didn't receive an answer, so she knocked again. Worried now that Brittany still didn't respond, she cracked the door a little and peaked in. Brittany had her head leaning back against the rim of the tub, her eyes closed and her mouth slightly parted as she breathed deeply. She was clearly asleep.

Santana smiled at the image of the beautiful girl sleeping peacefully in the tub full of bubbles. Thankfully the bubbles were still there, otherwise Santana would have seen more of Brittany's body than she was sure the other girl was comfortable with her seeing. Hell, it would have been more than Santana was comfortable seeing at the moment.

Feeling a little like a creeper for just standing there looking at her, Santana knocked a little louder on the open door. Brittany started and snorted a little, making Santana stifle a giggle.

"Hey, Britt?" Santana prompted gently as Brittany slowly opened her eyes.

"Hmmm?" Brittany hummed, finally waking.

"Sorry for bothering you, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm back with your prescription and dinner," she told the woman softly, making sure to keep her eyes on Brittany's face. "So whenever you're done, you can come out and eat."

Brittany yawned and nodded. "Okay. Thanks, San. I'll be out in a minute."

Santana smiled in reply and shut the door behind her as she made her way back to the kitchen. She grabbed a couple of forks and plates out of the cupboard and set them on the table next to the food. She had finished pulling the containers out of the bag when Brittany joined her in the kitchen.

Santana's stomach flipped when she saw Brittany wearing her clothes. She knew she liked the idea of it, but she didn't realize how much it was actually going to please her to see it. She smiled at the blonde, who yawned again as she tried fixing her damp hair up in another bun.

"Tired?" Santana asked unnecessarily.

Brittany just smiled at her sweetly. "Yeah, I guess I was more worn out than I thought," she replied. "Thanks so much for everything today. You're pretty awesome."

Santana swore she could feel her cheeks heating up with a blush as she shook her head. "It really is no problem. Anyone else would have done the same."

"No, they wouldn't," Brittany protested. "And besides, Rachel wouldn't have actually cared enough to let me rest. Instead, she would have been trying to sing songs to me to 'help me recover' or whatever excuse she would come up with. So, seriously, thank you for letting me stay here."

Santana laughed at Brittany's accurate description of what an evening under Rachel's TLC would be like. "Anything to save a poor soul from the Broadway tornado that is Rachel Berry."

Brittany giggled and sat down at the table, reaching for the open container of her chicken and broccoli. Santana went back to the cupboard to grab a couple of glasses.

"What did you want to drink? I have water, apple juice, milk, and I think there might be some tea that Rachel left here."

"Water is fine, thanks."

Santana filled both glasses up with cold water and brought them over to the table. She handed one to Brittany and sat hers down as she took a seat. She grabbed her own container of Szechuan beef and put some onto her plate before grabbing an egg roll.

"Thanks for getting dinner, too," Brittany said after she swallowed a bite of her food. "How much do I owe for everything?"

"Don't worry about it," Santana said, waving her off.

Brittany frowned. "No, seriously. It is the least I can do for you dropping everything to come help me today and letting me spend the night and everything."

"I'm serious," Santana said, not giving in. "You've had a pretty crappy day and you paying for anything tonight is not something you need to worry about. I will take care of everything tonight, so just don't even spare another thought for it."

Brittany scowled at her. "San, I can pay for my stuff. I don't feel right having you pay for it." Santana just shook her head, ignoring her. "At least let me pay you back for my prescription. You don't need to cover anything related to my health care."

Santana paused with her fork halfway to her mouth. She definitely didn't want Brittany to know how much she paid for the prescription, much less pay her back for it. Brittany didn't even have a job right now, and she knew she would have the hospital bills coming up in a few months from today to worry about. Maybe if she was able to get reimbursed from her insurance company then Santana would consider letting her pay her back. But, right now, she just wanted Brittany to worry about relaxing and getting better.

"Brittany," Santana began as she set her fork back down on her plate, "don't worry about anything else today but getting some rest and recovering. I don't want you freaked out about anything and make yourself worse or whatever. I've got you today, so let me take care of you."

Santana's heart stopped for a moment as she realized how that sounded. She almost started blabbering to Brittany to try to explain what she meant when she saw Brittany just smiling at her, a little look of awe on her face.

"You are seriously the nicest person ever, Santana," Brittany told her sweetly. "I don't think I've ever met anyone as sweet as you."

Santana bit her lip bashfully and looked down at her plate. She honestly couldn't think of a single person (outside of her parents when she was little) who called her sweet. She really wasn't sweet. At least not usually. Not to people that weren't Brittany apparently.

"I'm not that nice," she said instead. "I just do what I think is right."

Brittany was quiet for a moment, which caused Santana to look back up at her. She was looking closely at Santana, as if she was trying to figure out if she was real or something. It made Santana's heart beat a little harder in her chest and those tingles start in her belly.

Brittany just ended up shaking her head a little and smiling softly. "Whatever you say, San."

Santana didn't know what she meant by that, and didn't know if she wanted to know the answer. So she just went back to eating her dinner as Brittany was doing.

"So you were a cheerleader?" Brittany asked suddenly, making Santana look up at her in confusion. "The shorts you gave me to wear. They're cheerleading shorts. I'm assuming from your high school."

Santana gave a little laugh in realization. "Oh, yeah. I was a cheerleader actually. All four years in high school. I was even the captain my senior year," she said a little smugly.

Brittany grinned at her. "I can totally see you being the captain," she said, her eyes sparkling. "My best friend Quinn was our captain of the Cheerios from sophomore through senior year. Our coach loved her and always raved about how she thought she was a 'young Sue Sylvester'. I didn't care though. Quinn took some of the heat off of me from the coach."

Santana's eyes widened. "Oh my God, you were a Cheerio?"

Brittany chuckled. "Yeah. You know the Cheerios?"

Santana nodded, unable to believe that Brittany was part of a national championship cheerleading squad. "Yeah," she replied. "Our coach was kind of obsessed with Coach Sylvester and the Cheerios. She would always make us watch your competition footage and stuff and try to get us to be like your squad. We could never even hope to be that good, but we did make it to Regionals every year. We came in second the year I was captain."

Santana was proud of that fact. It was the best showing their high school squad had ever gotten. They had never made it to Nationals, but they didn't have the kind of talent on the squad or with the coaching to make it to that level.

Brittany looked genuinely happy for her accomplishments. "That's awesome," she enthused. "You must have been a great captain to get your team that far."

Santana felt a flush of pleasure at Brittany's praise. "Thanks," was all she could say.

They ate in silence for a few minutes until the sound of a phone ringing interrupted them. Santana immediately knew it wasn't hers by the sounds of Britney Spears' 'Toxic' spilling through the apartment.

"Sorry," Brittany apologized. She stood up quickly to get the phone, only to wince as the pain from her ribs clearly got to her.

"Sit down," Santana told her firmly, standing up herself to go get the phone for her. "Where is your phone?"

"I think I left it in the bathroom," Brittany replied, sinking back into her seat with a grateful look.

Santana nodded and hurried to get the cell. She found it easily on the bathroom counter and quickly made her way back to Brittany. She got there before the ringing stopped, but not without seeing who it was calling. It automatically made her scowl, but she tried to hide it when Brittany accepted the call.

"Hey, Quinn," the blonde greeted pleasantly.

Santana sat down and went back to eating, trying to concentrate on her meal instead of the one side of the conversation she could hear. It was nearly impossible though.

"Quinn, I'm fine," Brittany said on an exasperated sigh. "How did you even find out?"

Santana's face was tilted down at her plate, but watched Brittany surreptitiously through her lashes. Brittany had leaned back in her chair and rubbed her face with her free hand. Santana could hear Quinn's muffled voice through the phone as she spoke loudly, but couldn't hear what she was saying.

"Of course she did," Brittany muttered before her voice turned softer. "I'm okay, I promise. I just have some bruised ribs and a couple of scrapes. I'll be dancing again in a couple of days."

Santana frowned a little at that. She didn't want Brittany pushing herself too hard too quickly. She needed to rest until she was fully healed. She played with her food a little as she continued to listen.

"No, I'm not at home. Santana came to help me to the hospital and offered to have me stay with her tonight," Brittany said. Santana saw Brittany sneak a look over at her as her voice became a little quieter. "No, Quinn, she was just helping me. I'll be fine. I won't let it… I'll be okay."

Santana stared at her food hard. What was she talking about? She knew that she and Quinn had never really gotten along the few times they had been around each other due to their strong personalities, but did the other woman really think that she would do something bad to Brittany? She was not that kind of a person. She truly hoped that the best friend of the woman she was crushing on didn't have that bad of an opinion of her.

Santana seemed to realize she hadn't taken a bite in a few minutes, which was awfully suspicious. She lifted a forkful of food to her mouth, not even really tasting it anymore as she tried to appear that she wasn't concentrating fully on the blonde next to her.

"I promise to call you if anything changes. And I promise not to do anything stupid," Brittany told her friend, her exasperation evident. Then she laughed a little. "Yeah, I'll be sure not to start stripping."

Santana started choking on the bite she had attempted to swallow. She dropped her fork and coughed hard into her hand as she tried to clear the little bit of food that had gone down the wrong pipe.

"I gotta go, Q," Brittany said quickly. "Call you later."

Brittany got up and moved closer to Santana, rubbing her back gently as she continued to cough. The feeling of Brittany's hand on her back made her breath catch, which seemed to stop the reflexive coughing she had started by being surprised by Brittany's words.

"Are you okay, San?"

Santana blinked her watery eyes and cleared her throat before swallowing hard a couple of times.

"Yeah," she said, her voice a little scratchy as she nodded. "Went down the wrong pipe."

She turned to look at Brittany, who was staring at her with worry in her beautiful blue eyes.

"Here, have a drink to help soothe your throat," Brittany said as she handed her the glass of water.

She still hadn't removed her hand from Santana's back, and it was starting to make Santana lightheaded. Santana gratefully took the glass and took a big gulp to try to calm herself down.

"Thanks," she said once her breathing was fully under control again.

Brittany nodded, looking more relaxed. She removed her hand from Santana's back to move back to her chair, and Santana wasn't sure if she was relieved or saddened by it. She turned back to her food as Brittany did the same.

"I'm sorry about that," Brittany said suddenly, startling Santana into looking back up at the blonde. "Quinn just gets worried about me sometimes, and apparently Rachel called her to tell her what happened. She just acts like I can't take care of myself at times, and I get frustrated by it."

"No, it's okay," Santana replied honestly. "She's just trying to be a good friend."

Brittany smiled gratefully at her, and Santana took a breath and bit her lip as she thought for a moment about asking her next question.

"Does she not trust me or something?"

Brittany's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"It's just, the way you were talking about me," she began, "it sounded like she didn't want me helping you. Like she thought I was not good enough to take care of you."

Santana's voice had gotten quieter as she spoke, and she looked down at her hands which had clasped tightly in her lap.

"No, no, no," Brittany hurriedly said. "It isn't like that. I mean, I know you guys haven't gotten along, but it isn't that she doesn't trust you. It's because I…"

Santana looked back up as Brittany paused in her sentence to find the other woman's cheeks tinted the slightest bit of pink. Was she blushing?

"She just wanted to make sure that I was comfortable tonight with everything that happened," Brittany finally said. "She knows you're helping me and that I'm good here. She was just freaked out about me getting hurt."

Santana felt the dark cloud that had settled in her chest disappear at Brittany's words. Brittany said that she was good here with her at her apartment. She was comfortable here. Santana could almost fly with how happy that made her feel.

"I understand how she feels," she said with a shy smile before it faded as she remembered how scared she was when Brittany had told her she was mugged. "I was a little freaked about it, too. Especially when you called me, and I didn't even know exactly what had happened."

Brittany reached out and took one of Santana's hands out of her lap. She ran her thumb soothingly over the back of it, sending Santana's stomach from a jumble of knots into a flutter of butterflies.

"I'm sorry for scaring you. But I didn't really even think of anybody else I could call. You were the first person I thought of, and I feel really bad for making you freak out and come to take care of me and-"

"I wanted to, Britt," Santana interrupted. "I'm really glad you called me."

Brittany's lips slowly turned up into a smile, and Santana's mirrored them. Brittany gave Santana's hand a final squeeze and both of them went back to eating their food.

Once they were done, Santana cleared their plates and put the leftovers away. She got Brittany's prescription and read the instructions before getting one pill out for the blonde to take.

"Here," she said as she handed Brittany the tablet. "It says you can take one pill every 4 to 6 hours as needed."

Brittany took it and popped it in her mouth, chasing it with a drink of her water. "Thanks," she said after she swallowed. "I usually don't like taking pain medicine, because it makes me pretty loopy, but I think I'm going to need to with these ribs."

Santana nodded. "Yeah, you really need to make sure you get healed up properly. I don't want you trying to tough it out and make yourself worse, okay?"

Brittany rolled her eyes a little, but had a little smile on her face as she nodded. "Yes, mom."

Santana smacked her arm playfully and laughed. "Well, if I'm your mom tonight then I guess I should get you in bed, right?"

Brittany's cheeks turned red and her eyes went to the floor. Santana's own eyes widened in horror as she realized how her words sounded.

"To sleep," Santana hurried to explain. "You need to get in bed to rest. Not to do anything else. Not that you even… I mean- God! Let's just have you rest, okay?"

Santana's eyes were averted from the woman she was seriously crushing on, but she could tell Brittany had looked back at her again. Brittany gave the slightest chuckle at Santana's evident embarrassment.

"I think that rest sounds good," she said, amusement clear in her voice.

Santana pushed her embarrassment aside and helped Brittany stand up from her chair. She winced a little when Brittany did, but, other than that, the blonde was still moving okay.

"So, if you want, we could watch something on the couch for a bit and you can lay down," Santana offered. "Or you could just go lay down in my bed if you wanted to fall asleep."

Brittany shook her head. "No, the couch sounds good."

Santana nodded and let go of Brittany's arms reluctantly. She walked slowly with Brittany to the couch, staying nearby in case she needed help. Brittany sat down carefully on the cushions once they got there, and Santana helped to lift her legs up onto the couch so she could stretch out.

"Do you want a pillow or a blanket or anything?" Santana asked. Brittany shook her head. "Do you want to watch a movie, or just something on TV?"

"A movie is good."

Santana went to her DVD collection and picked out a few options she figured Brittany would like. She wasn't really surprised when Brittany picked out a romantic comedy. Honestly, Santana was kind of relieved. She figured they could both use something light-hearted and easy after the day they had.

Santana popped in the movie and sat down on the opposite end of the couch. She lifted Brittany's feet onto her lap so the blonde could still be stretched out in a comfortable position. They were about twenty minutes into the movie when Brittany spoke again.

"Thanks for everything, San," the blonde said, her voice a little sleepy. "I'm really glad I met you."

Santana turned to see Brittany looking at her with an easy smile on her face, her eyes half-lidded. She thought she had never seen anything more beautiful than this woman, and her chest got tight with something she wasn't quite sure she could name.

"I'm really glad I met you, too," Santana said with a smile of her own.

Brittany hummed happily and her smile grew as her eyes started to drift closed. "San?"

"Yeah, Britt?"

"Don't let me strip. I promised Quinn."

Santana coughed a little as she felt her cheeks heat up. Brittany's eyes fluttered open, and Santana forced herself not to look away. "Why is she worried about you stripping?"

"I take my clothes off when I get drunk, and I did it on pain pills once in high school," Brittany mumbled.

Santana bit her lips in an effort not to laugh. She couldn't help the chuckle that broke free and the amused smile that made its way onto her face. Now she understood what that comment was about during Brittany's conversation with Quinn.

"I promise not to let you strip," she told the sleepy woman. "Do you wanna go get in bed to sleep now?"

"Mmhmmm," Brittany nodded.

Santana helped get Brittany up off of the couch and let her lean on her heavily as they walked to Santana's room. Once they got to the doorway of the bedroom, Brittany's hand started to pull at the bottom of the shirt she was wearing to try to remove it.

Santana's heart skipped a beat as she thought about Brittany taking off the shirt and she nearly panicked. "Uh-unh, Brittany. Let's leave the shirt on, okay?"

"But I'm itchy," Brittany whined. Santana thought it was one of the most adorable things she had ever seen when Brittany pouted at her.

"You won't be itchy when you get in bed," Santana told her, trying to convince her to leave the shirt on.

"Okay," she gave in.

Santana let out a relieved breath, not wanting the temptation of a stripping Brittany on her hands. Not that she would do anything while the woman was in this state, but she didn't know if she could handle seeing Brittany without clothes and still be able to be professional with her.

Santana finally got Brittany into bed, and she pulled the covers up over her as she settled into the sheets.

"You good?" Santana asked.

Brittany nodded, and Santana turned to leave. "You can sleep here," Brittany mumbled.

Santana froze, her heart pounding. The thought of sleeping next to Brittany was both wonderful and terrifying. But she knew she couldn't. For so many reasons.

"I can't. Besides, you need to be comfortable and I kick in my sleep," Santana told her. She didn't kick in her sleep, but she needed an excuse to get Brittany to back down.

"Mmkay," Brittany said. Santana saw that Brittany's eyes were already closed and knew that she was safe.

She went out to the kitchen to get the bottle of pills and a glass of water and took the back into the room. She put them on the nightstand next to Brittany, who was already lightly snoring. She smiled softly at how peaceful and adorable Brittany looked. It was amazing how she could look so innocent here and yet be so sexy other times. Santana knew she was in trouble with her.

She tucked a stray piece of blonde hair behind Brittany's ear and then forced herself to walk away. She went back out to the couch and grabbed the blanket she kept on the back of it to drape over herself. She pressed play on the movie again and tried to ignore the fact that she was having feelings she had never felt before for her client asleep in the other room. It took awhile for her to fall asleep, and she knew it wouldn't be a restful night.

 **A/N: Santana seems to really be falling for Brittany already. I think she did pretty well with the whole handling Brittany staying there and all. What do you guys think?**

 **And Brittany already feels comfortable enough with Santana to stay with her and let her take care of her. Do you guys think something will happen soon?**

 **Any other thoughts or comments?**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Brittany woke up confused. She didn't recognize the room she was in, and she didn't even recognize the clothes she was wearing. She started to stretch the kinks out of her body only to whimper in pain as her ribs made her remember what had happened yesterday.

It hit her then that she was at Santana's. In Santana's bed. She barely remembered Santana helping her into her bedroom last night, but she did remember offering to share the bed. Santana had turned her down.

Brittany was a little sad by that, but, at the same time, it was probably for the best. It wasn't as if she would have been awake enough to enjoy the feel of the other woman's body next to hers. Plus, her ribs most likely would have been worse off if she tried cuddling Santana in the night like she probably would have ended up doing.

Brittany turned her head to the nightstand to try to see what time it was. She found her cell phone, a glass of water, her pill bottle, a blueberry muffin, and a note. Her lips automatically turned up into a smile as she saw how sweet Santana was. How anyone could think that Santana was a bitch was beyond her. Clearly, the woman was amazingly caring. Everything she had done for Brittany since yesterday was just further proof of what Brittany had thought since the beginning.

She carefully sat up and propped herself up against the headboard. She grabbed the handwritten note, admiring Santana's loopy scrawl.

"Brittany-

I'm sorry, but I had to go into work. I will try to get out by lunch so I will give you a call when I leave so I can pick us up some food. Make sure to eat some breakfast before you take your next pain pill. Call me if you need anything. Anything at all. Or you can text me. I will see you later.

Santana"

Brittany's smile grew into a full blown grin. She couldn't stop herself from holding the piece of paper against her smiling lips and giving a little squeal of happiness at how Santana's actions were making her heart skip a beat. She could almost swear that she could smell Santana's perfume on the paper. But that was just crazy, right?

Brittany shook herself out of her Santana daze and put the note down in her lap as she grabbed the muffin. She could tell it wasn't homemade, but it was clearly made fresh this morning. So Santana had gone out to pick her up some breakfast on top of everything else. Clearly she cared about Brittany.

Brittany unwrapped the muffin and took a bite, delighting in the flavor. She wasn't all that hungry since her ribs were a bit painful, but she knew that she needed to have food in her stomach so she could take her pain pill. She needed to be able to move well enough so she didn't rely on Santana all the time until she was fully healed.

So she ate the whole thing. Then she checked the time on her phone and saw that it was after 9:30am. She took her pill, knowing that she could take another dose in the afternoon if needed. Then she picked her phone up to text Santana.

 _Good morning. Thanks for the muffin. It was delicious :)- Brittany_

She wasn't expecting a reply anytime soon, so she was surprised when her phone chimed with a text message notification.

 _Good morning. Glad you liked it. How are you feeling?- Santana_

The smile that seemed to be permanently plastered to Brittany's face grew as she read Santana's words. That woman was seriously the best person Brittany had ever remembered meeting.

 _A little sore, but I took some more medicine so hopefully it will go away soon- Brittany_

 _Just make sure you take it easy today. I should be home in a few hours so just rest until I get there. Anything special you want for lunch?- Santana_

 _I was probably just going to watch some TV or a movie if that's okay?- Brittany_

 _And anything you want to pick up is fine, though I don't know how hungry I will be on these pills- Brittany_

She also didn't know how long she would even be able to stay awake on the pills. They had definitely knocked her out last night, so much so that she didn't even hear Santana leaving the stuff on the nightstand this morning or getting ready for work.

 _Feel free to watch whatever you want, Britt. Make yourself at home. And how about some soup for lunch?- Santana_

 _Soup sounds wonderful actually. Chicken noodle?- Brittany_

 _Chicken noodle it is :)- Santana_

Brittany decided to try to move out onto the couch so she could watch something and so she could maybe hear Santana coming home. She cautiously got out of bed, only wincing a little as she sat up, and considered it a victory. She moved more easily than she thought she would out to the living area. She looked through Santana's movie collection and saw a lot of variety.

Brittany grinned when she spied one of her favorite Disney movies among the titles. She slid it out and popped it into the player before getting herself comfortable on the couch. She pulled the blanket over her legs and laid back as the opening of 'Beauty and the Beast' played.

She grabbed her phone off of her lap and pulled up her text messages. She knew Quinn was probably still worried about her, so she sent a quick message letting her know that she was doing okay, just a little sore. She also texted Rachel and Kurt, thanking them for their concern yesterday and promising to see them soon. Finally, she texted her mom and dad to let them know what had happened, since she hadn't done so in all of the chaos yesterday.

Brittany hadn't wanted them to worry, so that was another reason why she wanted to wait until today. She made it clear that she was fine and nothing really important was taken. Her mom was clearly concerned but was calmed by Brittany's reassurances.

Her father was a little confused about what mugging was at first, thinking it had something to do with a coffee cup, but once the clarification was made he had a little freak out. Brittany knew that he would be the first to mention jumping on a plane to come see her, so she knew how to talk him down when he did. She loved her dad a lot, and it was clear how much he loved her back. She promised that she would come visit soon, the acute sting of missing her family making itself known.

Rachel and Kurt had replied to her, telling her that they were willing to hang out as soon as Brittany felt up to it. Quinn still hadn't responded, which didn't surprise Brittany since she was probably busy with work. So she concentrated on watching the movie.

It was some time after 'Be Our Guest' that Brittany's eyes fluttered shut and she fell asleep.

The next thing she knew, the sound of a door closing had her opening her eyes, blinking in confusion as she tried to figure out where she was once again. She saw the DVD menu for the movie on the TV screen and remembered where she was. She must have fallen asleep during the movie. Then she remembered that a sound had woken her up, so she looked to the door to find Santana standing there looking at her with an adorable smile on her face.

Brittany could almost swear there was a look of something more in her eyes.

"Hey," she greeted, her voice a little raspy from sleep.

"Hi," Santana replied, her smile still in place. "Did you have a good nap?"

Brittany found herself starting to smile in return, enjoying this easy camaraderie with the other woman. "Apparently I did," she said with a little laugh.

Santana grinned. "Well at least I know you're getting rest." Brittany nodded. "I brought soup. And I got a couple of sandwiches if you were really hungry."

Santana held up the bag she was carrying before she headed toward the couch. She set the bag on the coffee table as Brittany tried sitting up. Brittany grimaced and whimpered quietly, but it was loud enough for Santana to hear. Santana snapped her head toward Brittany and hurried over to help her carefully sit up.

"Easy, easy," she admonished as she gently helped her up. "I am here to help, you know."

"I just feel bad for you having to help take care of me," Brittany said, a guilty look on her face as she locked her eyes with Santana's concerned gaze.

"I don't mind it, Britt. That's why I offered to have you stay here."

Brittany could tell that Santana was being completely honest, and the thought both gave her a pleasant tingle in her chest and a less pleasant feeling of helplessness at needing to rely on someone at all.

"I really do appreciate it, Santana," she said earnestly. "I honestly didn't even realize that it would hurt that bad to try and sit up. I just hate the thought of having to inconvenience you when I know you are really busy."

"I am never too busy to help out a friend," Santana told her as she sat on the couch. She tucked a strand of Brittany's hair behind her ear and Brittany's breath caught. They seemed to be stuck in each other's eyes, the pull of Santana's chocolate gaze almost hypnotizing.

Brittany could feel her body being drawn toward Santana, as if it were magnetic and Santana was its polar opposite. She wanted to kiss her so badly. Santana's hand had moved from her ear down to her shoulder, where it rested. Brittany could feel the fingers tense slightly into her flesh as they drifted closer. Brittany's heart was pounding so loud that she was sure Santana could hear it, and her breathing was suspended as she waited for the touch of the beautiful brunette's lips on hers. Just as Brittany was sure they would reach the point of no return, a phone's chime startled them out of their stupor.

Santana jumped back, quickly removing her hand from Brittany's shoulder. Brittany just jumped slightly at the sound, disappointed when Santana slid away from her so hastily.

Santana turned her attention to the bag with the food, pulling out containers of soup and two wrapped sandwiches and studiously ignoring what had just happened. Brittany sighed at the drastic change of mood, and moved to grab her phone which was had so annoyingly interrupted them.

She nearly groaned aloud when she saw it was a text from Quinn. That woman seriously had the worst timing ever.

 _Glad you are feeling better. How was staying with Santana?- Quinn_

Brittany couldn't hold back her whine of frustration this time. She had the chance to maybe kiss Santana, and was interrupted for this stupid text? Seriously?

"You okay?" Santana's question snapped her attention away from her phone. "Do you need another pill?"

Santana still wasn't as close to her as she was before, but the awkwardness seemed to have mostly disappeared from Santana's body language. She was closely watching Brittany for any sign of further pain or discomfort.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Brittany said. "It's just Quinn annoying me."

Santana scrutinized her for another moment before she seemed to let it go. Brittany just tossed her phone back on the arm of the couch and ignored Quinn's text for the time being.

"So are you just wanting the soup, or I got a ham sandwich and a turkey if you were wanting a little bit more," Santana said, gesturing to the food.

"I think maybe half of the turkey sandwich and some soup would be great," Brittany said.

Santana nodded with a little smile, and she handed Brittany the turkey sandwich. She slid a container of soup toward her on the coffee table with a plastic spoon and set the other one in front of herself. Brittany unwrapped her sandwich and took a bite.

"Mmm, this is good," she mumbled around her food.

Santana laughed. "Maybe you should swallow it first so you don't choke."

Brittany just shrugged, not caring, and took another bite.

"Did you want some water?" Santana asked, amused at Brittany's enthusiasm for the food.

"Yesh, pweesh," she said with her mouth full.

Santana rolled her eyes and got up to get them some drinks. Brittany scooted to the edge of the couch and set her sandwich on the table before grabbing her soup. She popped the top off of the container and hummed happily as the scent of the chicken noodley goodness hit her nostrils. She was surprisingly hungrier than she thought she would be, so she dipped her spoon in and brought it straight to her mouth.

The burning shouldn't have surprised her, yet her eyes widened as the heat overtook her tongue and roof of her mouth. She inhaled sharply through her nose, only that seemed to make it worse. She had no choice but to spit the soup back into the container, whimpering as it felt like she had flames in her mouth.

"Oh my God, Britt! Are you okay? Here, have some water," Santana said hurriedly, bringing the glass of water to her. Brittany took the glass quickly and gulped it. The cool water immediately soothed her mouth and she felt significantly better.

"Thanks," she told Santana, putting the hot soup back on the coffee table. "I think maybe I will let that cool for a few minutes."

Santana bit her lip to fight off a smile, though she wasn't very successful. "That's probably a good idea. Did you burn your tongue too badly?"

Brittany chuckled at herself. "Not too badly. It just smelled really good and I didn't even think that it would be that hot. The water helped a lot, so thank you."

"Am I going to have to be concerned about you hurting yourself worse when I'm supposed to be taking care of you?" Santana joked.

"I don't know," Brittany joked back. "I am not usually this accident prone though. I guess I am just having a stroke of bad luck."

"Then I guess I should keep a closer eye on you to make sure you don't lose a finger or something," she said with a smile, and Brittany gave a shy smile back as she saw the sparkle in Santana's eyes.

Brittany couldn't help but think that Santana was truly the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. These funny little feelings she kept getting in her stomach and chest were so different than what she had ever felt before for anyone she had ever found attractive or dated. And Santana just made the feelings intensify when she did all of these super sweet things for her. If Brittany wasn't careful then she would start developing some serious feelings for a woman she could have no hope of being with.

They went about eating their lunches, this time with Brittany not burning her mouth on the soup. The food was incredibly good, and Brittany was feeling a lot better after eating. Her ribs still felt really tight and she had some pain, but she really did feel like she could postpone taking another pain pill for a couple of hours.

"So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?" Santana asked once she had cleared up the remnants of their food. "We can watch another movie, or we can watch TV. Or we can see if Rachel and Kurt want to come over for dinner later or something."

Brittany relaxed back into the couch, happy and content. Santana was looking at her with almost the same kind of content, but had a bit of apprehension in her eyes as if she didn't know how to keep Brittany entertained.

"It doesn't matter to me," Brittany told her honestly. "I want to try not to fall asleep for a little while yet, so maybe we could watch something and talk for a bit. And I think I would be fine to go home tonight. That way I could get out of your hair, and we could all maybe have a get together with dinner at my place tonight with Rachel and Kurt."

Santana's brows furrowed just the slightest bit. "Are you sure you will be okay to be on your own? I honestly don't mind if you have to stay here another night," she hurried to say. "I mean, not that you have to stay or anything. If you want to leave, certainly you can go, but I just don't want you to hurt yourself trying to do things you shouldn't be and…"

"Santana," Brittany interrupted. "I promise I won't do anything strenuous. Plus, we will all be hanging out tonight, so, if I feel like maybe I need some help then I can just ask Rachel or Kurt to stay or something so you don't have to take care of me anymore. I'm sure you have other things you could be doing."

Santana looked down at her fingers in her lap and sucked on her lips momentarily. "I don't mind helping, Britt. I like you, so I want to make sure you're okay," she said shyly. The words sent a tingle of pleasure through Brittany, making her think that Santana could maybe like her in _that_ way and not just as a friend. But surely she was crazy for even considering it.

"But if you would rather have Rachel, or even Kurt, then that would be okay," Santana finished.

Brittany bit her lip on a smile. She didn't want to be apart from Santana, and would honestly prefer that she take care of her if needed as opposed to Rachel or Kurt. But she did feel a little guilty to rely on a woman she had only met a little over a week ago, and one who she had all kinds of tangled up feelings for. She was torn between wanting to be with Santana more, but also wanting to put some distance between them. It seemed like maybe Santana felt a little sad by the thought that Brittany would prefer someone else to help her out.

"How about we just see what tonight brings, okay? Then we can see what I would prefer to do," Brittany told her, which made Santana look up at her with the hint of a smile.

Santana nodded and turned to put the TV on a regular station. "So what do you want to watch?"

"I don't care. Whatever you want is fine."

Santana found a channel that was showing 'Bring It On' and put it on there. "Is this okay?"

Brittany grinned at her and clapped her hands a little. "I love this movie, San! I used to watch it all the time back in high school."

Santana grinned back. "I did, too. Although I don't think my cheerleading experiences were nearly as dramatic as theirs, but it is fun to watch."

Brittany laughed. "My cheerleading experiences were more dramatic, I think. Sue Sylvester was kind of insane."

Santana joined in her laughter. "Was it really that bad?"

"You have no idea." Brittany proceeded to tell her about the time that Coach Sylvester tried to convince Brittany to be shot out of a cannon.

"You're kidding me! Seriously, you are just joking, right?" Santana said through giggles.

"Completely serious."

"Oh my God, she really is insane!"

They laughed together and spent the rest of the movie comparing stories about cheerleading and getting to know each other better. Brittany discovered that Santana had a secret love of Broadway musicals, which Brittany was convinced was why she got along so well with Rachel, though Santana threatened to drop Brittany as a client if she ever told Rachel that she shared her passion. She also learned that Santana loved to sing, but knew she wouldn't have a good career in it, so decided to become a talent agent. Brittany made Santana swear to sing something for her sometime, though it took some cajoling.

Brittany told Santana that she had always been called stupid by everyone until she got into MIT due to her perfect SAT scores. She revealed that she didn't know her biological dad. And she told Santana that she still loved to color with crayons, though nobody else knew that about her since she got made fun of it a lot in her freshman year of high school.

Brittany loved learning more about Santana, and they became much more comfortable with each other. They made sporadic comments about whatever show was playing in the background after the movie was over, but mostly just talked about things in an effort to get to know each other better.

It was a couple hours later when Santana's phone went off with a text message notification. It was Rachel wondering if they wanted to get together tonight. Upon Brittany's instruction, Santana told Rachel to come over to Brittany's apartment around 7pm. She also told her to spread the word to Kurt and to expect dinner and drinks.

"You know you can't drink, right?"

Brittany rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know. The drinks are for you guys. I will probably get drunk enough off of my pain pill I take later."

Santana laughed, and they went about making plans for their dinner. Brittany decided to put off taking another pain pill, and instead asked for an Advil from Santana. She needed a little bit of pain relief and help fighting the inflammation from the injury, but she didn't want to knock herself out again before they even got to dinner.

Santana let her borrow some more clothes to wear back to her apartment, and around 5 o'clock they made their way over there. Santana was super watchful of Brittany as they made their way out of her building, and she threatened the cab driver with bodily harm if he didn't make the ride as gentle as possible.

Brittany was kind of nervous to have Santana come to her apartment. She still hadn't really settled into it, and things were pretty bare. Apart from some pictures of her family and Lord and Lady Tubbington, she hadn't really put much out. Also, it kind of felt like she was letting Santana into her life even more. She hoped that Santana kind of liked what she saw.

"So this is my place," she said as she opened the door to her apartment.

"Looks cozy," Santana told her with a genuine smile.

Brittany felt immediately relieved, knowing that Santana felt comfortable there, despite the lack of Brittany really putting much of a personal stamp on her apartment quite yet.

"So, I am gonna go change and stuff real quick. Make yourself at home."

Santana nodded and went to sit on the couch while Brittany headed back to her bedroom. She already showered at Santana's, so she just changed into some comfortable jeans and a loose top. She folded Santana's clothes and set them on her bed before she headed into her bathroom to put on some light make-up. She knew Santana had already seen her face completely bare, but she wanted to look at least somewhat presentable for her and their friends tonight.

She went back out to the living room to find Santana messing with her phone. It reminded her that she still hadn't responded to Quinn's text. She was surprised that Quinn hadn't started blowing up her phone.

"I left your clothes in the bedroom for now. Just remind me to give them back to you before you go," Brittany said as she joined Santana on the couch.

"Oh, don't worry about it. If I forget them, it isn't a big deal," Santana said easily.

They chatted for a few minutes before Brittany went ahead and ordered some pizzas to be delivered for them. Santana had offered to go out to the store in the meantime to pick up some wine and some food that Rachel would eat, so while she was out Brittany found a good playlist of music to provide some background noise for their group.

Santana got back before the pizza arrived, juggling three bottles of wine and a bag full of salad ingredients. Brittany grabbed two of the bottles of wine from her and she set them on her little kitchen table. She took the bag from Santana and put it in the fridge while Santana set the other bottle of wine down.

There was a knock on the door and Santana went to answer it, letting Brittany finish putting the stuff away. She heard the voice of the pizza delivery guy talking to Santana, so she yelled out for Santana to grab the money out of her purse.

She walked back toward the front door to see Santana sending the delivery guy on his way, her own wallet in her hand along with the two pizzas.

"Did you just seriously use your own money to pay for those?" Brittany asked with a little irritation.

"Yeah," Santana told her, unapologetic.

"I told you to use my money, Santana! You paid for food last night and this afternoon, and you got the wine tonight. I was going to pay for the pizzas, because, contrary to your opinion, I can actually pay for things!"

Brittany sighed in exasperation after she finished berating Santana. Santana just walked to the table and put the pizzas down before going back and putting her wallet in her purse. Then she calmly looked back at Brittany, clearly not caring about Brittany's irritation.

"I didn't want to go digging around your bag for money," Santana said. "Besides, my bag was closer."

Brittany opened her mouth to argue again, but another knock on the door prevented her from doing so. She pulled the door open a little harder than she should have, startling Rachel and Kurt on the other side and making herself wince at the pain in her ribs.

"Brittany," Santana quietly admonished, walking to her side. "Are you okay?"

Brittany gave her a strained smile, but nodded. She would be okay. "Hey guys, come on in," she said to her other friends.

"Hello, Brittany and Santana," Rachel greeted. "How are you doing tonight? How are you feeling, Brittany? Any considerable pain?"

Santana just rolled her eyes and walked away. Brittany greeted both Kurt and Rachel before explaining that she was feeling okay, and she was glad they came over.

"We've got some wine and pizza, and stuff for a salad for you, Rach," Brittany told them.

Santana was rummaging around in the kitchen drawers, looking for a corkscrew. "Where are the wine glasses, Britt?"

"I'll get them," Brittany said. "The corkscrew is the next drawer to your right."

Santana pulled it open and found what she was looking for. Brittany pulled down three wine glasses for her friends and put them on the table. Santana took responsibility for pouring out the alcohol, while Brittany got herself a glass of water and pulled out the stuff for Rachel's salad.

"I'll get that Brittany," Rachel offered, and took over making herself her dinner.

Santana had found the plates and set them out on the counter. She grabbed a couple of slices and put them on a plate, which she promptly handed to Brittany.

"Go sit down," Santana ordered gently.

Brittany knew better than to protest, so she made her way into the living room. She turned on the music, and the sounds of Journey helped fill the apartment.

"Feeling nostalgic?" Kurt asked her from the kitchen.

Brittany laughed. "Maybe a little bit. I just wish we could get everybody together again for a reunion."

"That would be awesome, but with most of the rest of us spread around the country, I don't know how easy that would be," Rachel said, joining Brittany in the living room with her salad and glass of wine. "This song always makes me think of Finn."

Brittany immediately felt horrible. "Oh, I'm sorry Rachel. I wasn't thinking. I can change it."

Rachel gave her a slightly sad smile along with a head shake. "No, don't worry about it. It gives me good memories."

"You sure?"

Rachel nodded, and Brittany gave her a comforting hug which the other woman gently returned. Brittany looked over Rachel's shoulder to notice Santana watching them, a slightly concerned look on her face. She could see the genuine affection in Santana's eyes, and knew that she was worried about both of them.

The next song kicked on, and made Kurt laugh. "Oh my God, I remember when we did this for glee club!"

Ke$ha's voice was coming from the speakers, and both Brittany and Rachel laughed as they settled back to eat their dinner.

"As long as we don't end up the same way tonight as we did during that performance, I think we will be okay," Brittany said, shuddering in remembrance of the drunken antics of the club, plus her own vomiting mishap.

Santana and Kurt joined them in the living room, sitting on the floor. They had fun reminiscing about high school and filling Santana in on the more entertaining moments of the glee club. Santana, Kurt, and Rachel had their own amusing stories to tell from college. It was a fun night filled with a lot of laughter, more singing than there should have been, and less dancing than Brittany would have normally done, which was to say none.

Her friends were delightfully tipsy, everyone was full on good food, and Brittany was glad to see everyone having a good time. She especially loved that Santana was enjoying herself. She still wasn't happy that Santana had used her own money to pay for the pizzas, but Brittany promised herself to pay the next time they all got together. It didn't really matter that much anyways.

As the night wore on, Brittany knew she really should take another pain pill. She had wanted to put it off, but her ribs were feeling tight and uncomfortable. She planned on getting up to do it, but Santana had beaten her to it and brought her the pill bottle and another glass of water. Brittany couldn't stop the huge smile that took over her lips once again at how amazingly sweet she found Santana.

It wasn't much longer after that when Brittany started to get drowsy. She tried to stay awake as she listened to Kurt and Rachel tell Santana about the time when Brittany was teaching everyone in the glee club about hairography, but she was losing the battle.

"Brittany. Hey, Brittany," a soothing voice tried to get her attention. "Come on, open those blue eyes for me."

Brittany's eyes fluttered open to see Santana smiling down at her. "There they are. I think it's time to put you to bed."

"Probably," Brittany murmured in agreement.

"How are you feeling? Did you need anybody to stay with you?" Santana asked.

Kurt and Rachel were lost in their own conversation, loudly arguing over some Broadway show or another, which meant that Santana and Brittany could converse in relative privacy.

"I think I'm okay, so if you would rather go home then that would be fine," Brittany answered.

Santana seemed to be disappointed, but Brittany was unable to tell for sure. She just looked at Brittany for a few seconds before she replied.

"If you're sure." Brittany nodded. "Okay. I guess I should help these two drunks get home. After I help you get to your bedroom, first."

Brittany laughed a little before it was taken over by a giant yawn. Santana helped her off of the couch, and she said her goodnights to her friends before she, leaning heavily on the brunette, made her way to her room. Santana set her down on the bed and, with Brittany's instruction, got her some pajamas to change into.

"Alright. I will be out there for a few minutes more, so if you need anything then just yell. Goodnight, Brittany."

"'Night, Santana. And thanks for everything."

Santana smiled at her and grabbed her folded clothes off of the bed before she left the room, closing the door behind her. Brittany changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed, the soothing sounds of Santana's voice mixed with her other friends' as they prepared to leave making her smile. She fell into a happy sleep, hoping to dream of brown eyes and a beautiful smile.

 **A/N: Oh, so close! Do you guys think they would have actually kissed if Quinn hadn't have provided that timely interruption? Or would Santana have chickened out?**

 **Santana is a pretty good caretaker, and it seems Brittany is quite smitten with the woman and her sweetness. Santana is clearly already falling in love, and it looks like Brittany is well on her way. How much longer do you think it is going to take them to make something happen? Or do you think people will keep getting in their way?**

 **Any other thoughts or comments? I appreciate all of your reviews!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Santana hurried back to her office after an annoying meeting with her boss. Mr. Carter was knowledgeable about the business, but he was kind of a dick that liked to rub in peoples' faces how successful he was. Basically, she just spent twenty minutes listening to him tell her how he could do her job better, but if she kept taking his advice then she would be a top notch talent agent. In other words, it meant that Santana was doing a good job and he was trying to take the credit for it.

She just wished that she didn't have to deal with him at all. She learned a lot about the business from this firm, but she felt as if she was going to start suffocating here. Not to mention her skeevy coworker that she was desperate to never see again. Santana just didn't have the means or the contacts yet to go anywhere else. And she risked losing her clients if she did decide to quit, since they had contracts with the agency as well as her since she was still starting out in the business.

Speaking of her clients, Santana had a meeting with Rachel in twenty minutes that she wasn't really looking forward to it. She had been avoiding her best friend since Rachel tried cornering her after their get together at Brittany's apartment two weeks ago. Rachel wanted to know what exactly was going on between her and Brittany, but Santana didn't even know.

Ever since Santana almost kissed Brittany that day at her apartment, she had been confused. She knew she was attracted to the blonde and that she liked her a lot more than a friend, but she had no idea what Brittany felt. She could have sworn that Brittany looked like she wanted to kiss her too, but Santana wasn't sure if that was just wishful thinking.

It just made her head all kinds of messed up and she tried not to think about it. It wasn't like anything could ever happen between them. And Santana could have seriously put her career in jeopardy if she had actually closed the distance between their lips.

But Rachel could tell that something had changed between Brittany and Santana. Especially since Rachel had seen how Santana took care of Brittany the night they all hung out. She couldn't help but stay near to Brittany all night, and she couldn't take her eyes off of her. So the instant Rachel tried to question how things were between the two women, Santana shut her down and avoided talking to her as much as possible.

It was hard not really talking to her best friend. It was even worse because she hadn't seen Brittany in two weeks. Santana had texted her the next morning after their dinner at Brittany's apartment, and Brittany said she was feeling a lot better. She also said that Quinn was coming to visit since Brittany had never texted back when she had been at Santana's so Quinn had been worried. Since Brittany had her best friend to watch over her, Santana backed off. They had texted and even talked over the past couple of weeks, but they hadn't even laid eyes on each other since Santana put her to bed that night.

That was going to change soon, however. Santana had found an audition she wanted to send Brittany on. And now that Brittany was feeling a lot better, she was ready to go try to land prospective roles. At least that was what Brittany had told Santana the other day. She was doing well enough that Quinn had left last week to go back to Boston, and she had started to do some very light exercising. Santana was incredibly pleased that Brittany was feeling so much better, and she was even more pleased at the prospect of seeing her again soon. Although she tried to tell herself that she wasn't.

"Glad to see you aren't going to avoid this meeting."

Santana nearly jumped out of her skin as Rachel's voice broke her out of her thoughts. She hadn't even been paying attention when she opened her office door. Rachel had been sitting there waiting for her, and Santana was so distracted by her thoughts about Brittany that she hadn't even seen her friend.

"Jesus, Berry! You shouldn't scare me like that!"

Santana held her hand over her pounding heart, taking a second to get her bearings back. Rachel just sat there with her arms over her chest, clearly not willing to take any of Santana's shit today.

"I didn't even do anything. I was just sitting here," Rachel replied calmly. "It isn't my fault that you weren't paying attention to the fact that I was right in front of your face."

Santana almost swallowed in apprehension. Rachel didn't ever get upset with her, but when she did she was eerily calm and collected in a way that made Santana feel super guilty. From the way Rachel was acting at the moment, she knew that her best friend was really not happy with her.

"Well it is kind of rude that you are in someone's office without them being there," Santana snapped, her defenses coming up at the sinking feeling of guilt creeping in that she hated. She hated disappointing the people closest to her.

Rachel sighed, knowing Santana well enough after being friends for nearly six years that she could tell that Santana felt bad for ignoring her. And when Santana didn't feel like she was in control of her emotions, she lashed out and became defensive.

"Santana, I come into your office all the time. You know this. The receptionist knows me well enough that she just waves as I walk by. Now why don't you just apologize for trying to avoid me for two weeks, and we can actually get to our meeting?"

Santana rolled her eyes, but bit back her reflexive retort. She knew that Rachel was right, and Santana was just being her bitchy self at the moment.

"I wasn't trying to avoid you," Santana lied as she went to her desk to sit down.

"Yes, you were," Rachel countered. "You were avoiding me because you didn't want to talk about what exactly is going on between you and Brittany. But that's fine, because I am here today to talk to you about my career, not Brittany."

Damn, Rachel really was pissed at her.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Santana said, her voice quiet but sincere.

Rachel met her eyes, and Santana knew she could see the vulnerability and fear and guilt that was all swirling around inside of her. Rachel's face softened.

"Oh, Santana," she sighed. She started to stand up from her chair to come around for a hug, but Santana stopped her. She couldn't handle that right now without breaking down. Rachel just nodded and sat back down, watching her with understanding now. "It's fine. There's no hard feelings. And we don't have to talk about anything you don't want to talk about."

Santana took a deep breath and looked at the ceiling to get her emotions in check. "Thanks," she said once she was back in control. She met Rachel's eyes again and was sincerely grateful that her friend knew her so well. "So, as you know, the musical you are involved in finishes its run in two months. Unless they, for some miraculous reason, decide to extend it for longer, we need to really start working on looking for another role for you."

"That sounds good. Have you heard of anything big coming up?" Rachel asked as she straightened up in her chair, now eager to discuss the possibilities of landing a role of a lifetime.

"I've heard of a few things, but the big rumor is that they are looking for a young woman for a new musical that is supposedly going to be a big hit on Broadway," Santana told her. "I don't know a lot about it yet, but if you want me to, I can put out some feelers and see if I can get some more info on it and put your name out there."

"Absolutely, yes!"

"Good. Now, in the meantime, there are a couple of smaller plays I want to send you out to audition for. Only one is a musical, but the other one is actually a really good story. If the big musical doesn't work out, then I think one of those would be a good fit for you."

"Okay. Just send me the information on them and I will make sure I'm prepared," Rachel said confidently.

"I know you will be," Santana said with a genuine smile. One thing Rachel Berry was in regards to auditioning was prepared.

"Oh, make fun of me all you want," Rachel jokingly scolded. "You know I'm your best client."

"I don't know about that," Santana teased back. The fact was that Rachel landed pretty much every audition Santana ever sent her on. And she knew it.

Rachel grinned at her for a moment before her smile softened and she studied Santana. "So are we good now?"

Santana gave her a small smile in return. "Yeah, we're good."

"Excellent!" Rachel enthused. "So, are you free for lunch today? I have had to hang out with Kurt far too much recently. I mean, I love that man, but I can only handle him talking about weird fashion for so long. And with Quinn being a control freak about what Brittany could do, I didn't even get to visit with them very much either."

Santana understood exactly what Rachel was feeling in regards to missing out on being with her friends. She was truly disappointed though when she knew that she had to decline.

"I'm sorry, Rach, but I can't today. I have another meeting after this and I have to call Brittany and see if she can come in because I found her an audition I want to send her on," Santana explained.

"Oh, you did? What is it? Is it good?" Rachel asked in rapid succession.

Santana laughed a little. "I wouldn't be sending her on it if I didn't think it was good for her. It is just a small guest starring role in a sitcom, but she would be awesome for it."

"That sounds perfect for her," Rachel said. "And don't worry about lunch. We can maybe catch up tomorrow?"

Santana nodded. "Absolutely. I will mark you in my calendar."

"You better." Rachel grinned and stood up, knowing that their meeting was over.

Santana got out of her chair and walked her friend to her office door. "I'll call you later."

Rachel looked supremely happy at that and Santana couldn't avoid the hug that was sprung upon her even if she really wanted to. She returned the hug, albeit a lot less tightly than Rachel, and everything felt so much better than it did before.

She felt like she could deal with all of the drama and the feelings for Brittany and not panic. At least for a minute after Rachel left, and then she suddenly realized that she was Santana Lopez and she didn't handle feelings well at all. It was all just so overwhelming for her. Like she felt everything too much, so she just tried to not feel much at all.

After letting herself have a mini panic session at the thought of seeing Brittany again later, she ate a quick lunch and called the woman who seemed to never leave her mind.

"Santana! Hi!"

Santana grinned, her heart doing a little flutter at the obvious smile in Brittany's voice. "Hi, Brittany. How are you feeling?"

"Really good, actually. I just did a little bit of easy dancing and not a single twinge from my ribs!"

"Awesome Britt! That is really great!"

"I know, I am so excited that I can actually do things now," Brittany laughed.

"Well, speaking of doing things," Santana began, then immediately froze as that spurred several naughty images in her mind. She coughed and cleared her throat, scolding herself internally at letting her mind go there.

"Are you okay?" Brittany asked, concerned as it sounded like Santana was choking.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Santana answered once she got her senses back about her. "My throat just had a tickle in it. But anyways, I was calling to see if you would be able to come into the office this afternoon. I want to talk to you about a possible audition."

"Oh my God! Are you serious?!"

Santana actually had to pull the phone away from her ear at Brittany's happy squeal. She giggled at the blonde's enthusiasm. "Yes, I am serious. So can you make it here by about three?"

"Yes! I will definitely be there!" Brittany exclaimed happily. "I can't believe it! And I can't wait to see you, too."

Santana's heart skipped a beat at those words. She couldn't hope that Brittany meant it in the way that she wanted her to, but she wanted it to be that way so badly. "I can't wait to see you, too," she replied honestly.

"I've missed you," Brittany said quietly. "I know Quinn was here and all, but I really liked hanging out with you, San. I wish we could have done more of it."

"Me, too."

There was a brief silence in which Santana felt like important words could be spoken. Words that could change their relationship in a huge way if they were uttered. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

"So I will see you at three then?" Brittany asked, breaking the moment.

Santana felt relieved, and disappointed, though that was to her surprise. "Yeah, see you then."

She ended the call and didn't let herself dwell on the conversation. She immediately threw herself into preparing for her meeting with her next client.

The afternoon passed quickly, and before she knew it, it was approaching three o'clock. She tried to put on her professional persona. She really did. But it all flew out the window when she saw Brittany's smiling face walking into her office.

Santana immediately stood up from her chair with a smile of her own and, almost as if she were being pulled by a string, went straight for the blonde who pulled her in for a hug. She wrapped her arms around Brittany's neck as Brittany's arms slid around her back and pulled her against her body tightly. Brittany's citrusy scent overwhelmed Santana's senses and she just wanted to bury her face into the crook of the woman's neck where the scent was the strongest.

"It's so good to see you," Santana murmured, settling her chin on Brittany's shoulder to avoid embarrassing herself by doing what she wanted.

Brittany gave her a final squeeze before pulling back and looking her over. "I can definitely say the same," she said with a soft smile.

Santana's stomach was doing flips like crazy, and she could swear she was having a heart attack if she didn't know better. She needed to put some distance between them before she did something stupid. She indicated for Brittany to have a seat and she went to her own chair, putting the desk between them.

"So, do you know the show 'House Rulez'?" Santana asked, getting straight to business.

Brittany furrowed her brow in thought. "Isn't that the comedy with those kids from the inner city who get taken in by some rich family and like change everything in the home?"

"That's the one," Santana said, pulling up the folder with the part information and audition lines. "They have a pretty good guest starring role coming up that I think you would be good for."

Brittany gave a nervous smile. Santana imagined that she was nervous because this was the first real audition she would be going on, and things were starting to go from the possibility to the reality. But Santana knew that the excitement would take win out eventually.

"What is the role exactly?"

"It is a prospective nanny for the younger kids. The woman is fun and not the typical stick in the mud nanny you would expect the well-to-do to use, but the kids still play pranks on her and try to run her off. Naturally, the role calls for comedic prowess, which I am confident you will nail," Santana told her honestly.

Brittany's excitement started to grow, as evidenced by her more genuine smile. "That sounds really cool!"

"So you're interested?"

Brittany nodded, and Santana pulled out the sheet with the information for the part and slid it across the desk to her. The other woman read it over and she seemed to be liking what she read.

"I think this would actually be really fun to do," she said once she finished reading.

"Excellent. The audition is Monday at 8am. You should be at the studio twenty minutes before then so they can get you checked in and to the proper room for the readings. The address is on the card with the lines they want you to read," she said as she slid the new papers over to her.

Santana looked up and saw Brittany's widened eyes. Clearly this was a bit much for her to process at the moment.

"Brittany." Blue eyes met hers, and Santana could see the nerves back in full force. "I can go to the audition with you if you want me to. That way I can show you exactly where you need to go and what you need to do. Would you prefer that?"

Brittany looked at her gratefully, and with such tenderness that Santana felt like she could just melt right there. "That would be so amazing. But only if you don't have anything else to do."

"You are my client, and my clients take priority," Santana said sincerely. "If you need me there, then I will be there. If you need me to wake you up and pick out an outfit for you, I will do it. If you need me to bring you breakfast and coffee, I can do that too. Whatever you need me to do to help you nail this audition, I will do it."

Brittany's happy smile overtook her face. And much like Rachel had earlier in the day, Brittany moved to get out of her chair and come around the desk to hug her. Only, unlike earlier with Rachel, Santana didn't stop her. She just couldn't. She craved her touch too much.

Santana leaned into Brittany's embrace, wrapping her arms around Brittany's shoulders as the other woman bent down to hug her. She really could spend forever in Brittany's arms, but before she would have liked, Brittany pulled back.

Santana's breathing stopped as Brittany's eyes locked with hers only inches away. Brittany's hands had settled onto Santana's upper arms, while Santana's rested on the blonde's shoulders. Santana watched as Brittany's gorgeous blue eyes suddenly darkened and darted down to Santana's lips. She couldn't stop the unconscious reaction to wet them, which made Brittany's breath catch.

Santana's own eyes drifted down to Brittany's lips as she parted them on her gasp. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she felt the closeness of Brittany to her as an electric tingle, starting where the blonde's hands were on her arms and spreading in pulses throughout her body. Before she registered what was happening, Brittany wetted her lips and locked eyes with Santana again before she slowly moved closer.

Santana craved the feeling of Brittany's lips against hers. She wanted to know if they were as soft as they looked and how they tasted and if they were going to make her feel as good as she imagined they would. She couldn't remember ever wanting something more than Brittany's kiss, but she registered exactly where they were and why they shouldn't be doing this. So, as much as it pained her to do it, she turned her head away.

"Don't, Brittany."

Santana could swear her heart was breaking as she stopped Brittany from kissing her. She had been so close to realizing what Brittany's lips would have felt like against her own, something she had been dreaming of for weeks. But her own sense of professional responsibility stopped her.

"I'm sorry," Brittany's dejected voice made Santana feel even worse, especially when Brittany moved away from her. "I just thought…"

"I know," Santana answered, gathering the courage to look at Brittany again. Brittany was looking at the floor, her arms crossed protectively over her chest and her cheeks flaming red with embarrassment at being rejected. She hated seeing her looking so broken, and wanted to make things like they were before. "It's okay."

Brittany gave a sarcastic laugh. "Sure." She looked back up at Santana, and something in her face made Brittany's tense stance relax a little. "Santana, can I ask you something?"

Santana swallowed, suddenly nervous. She nodded in reply.

"Are you attracted to women?"

Santana's eyes widened and her body stiffened. She could feel blood rushing to her face and her gaze involuntarily went to her lap to avoid Brittany's. Everything in her was screaming at her to deny it and laugh it off. Years of hiding in the closet and repressing her feelings for women were making it hard for her to be honest. But she wanted to be honest with Brittany more than she wanted to hide anymore.

Her hands clasped tightly in her lap, she gave an almost imperceptible nod of her head. "I'm a lesbian," she said so quietly that she was afraid Brittany may not have heard her due to the silence that followed. The desire to see Brittany's reaction to her confession won out over her nerves, and she looked up to see Brittany studying her. There was no judgment or disgust, but just observation.

"Does anybody know?"

"Just Rachel, and she only found out a few weeks ago. You are the only other person who knows now."

"So, you mean to say that you have never had a girlfriend?" Brittany asked, her head cocked slightly to the side in curiosity.

Santana licked her dry lips and shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She was not used to having actual conversations about this. "Uh, I've never even kissed another girl before."

Santana was confused by the hint of a smile on Brittany's lips.

"Was that why you stopped me?"

Santana just shook her head, unsure what was going through Brittany's head. "Why were you going to kiss me? I mean… like… do you… like me? You know, like that?"

Brittany blushed again, looking down at her hands that she was fidgeting with. Her nod made Santana's heart soar and a grin nearly split her face.

"I like you so, so much," Brittany confessed.

Santana couldn't remember feeling as happy and lightheaded before as she did now. Brittany liked her. Brittany wanted to kiss her. To share something so completely special that neither of them really could have even imagined. Brittany looked back up and saw the joy on Santana's face, which made her smile in return.

"Do you like me, too?"

"I haven't liked anyone before the way I like you," she confessed.

Brittany's grin made her practically glow, and the blonde moved quickly to kneel before Santana. She took Santana's hands in her own, and looked so beautiful. Santana felt she could die happy if Brittany smiled at her like that.

"Well, since I like you, and you like me… would you go on a date with me?"

Santana almost said yes. The word almost flew out of her mouth without even thinking about it. But the memory of the contract they signed when she took Brittany on as a client hit her full force. Her face fell, and she hated the thought of having to hurt Brittany once again.

"We can't, Brittany." Sure enough, Brittany's battered heart was evident in her eyes. "We can't because we signed a contract that says that we can't."

"Fuck the contract, Santana," Brittany said a little harshly. "Please, just go out with me. I would rather take a chance on something with you than worry about something we signed when we didn't even want to."

Santana wanted to cry. But she needed to stay strong for the both of them. "I can't. We can't."

Brittany looked at her with disbelief for several long moments. Then she stood up abruptly, dropped Santana's hands, and strode toward the door.

She was going to leave without the information for the audition. She was going to leave angry with Santana. Santana grabbed the folder off of the desk and rushed to stand up.

"Brittany, wait!"

The blonde stopped by the door but didn't turn around. Santana came up behind her with the folder, but that wasn't even part of her thoughts at the moment. All she cared about right now was Brittany. She grasped Brittany's arm and gently turned her around, although Brittany didn't want to. Brittany was on the verge of tears, and Santana couldn't have that.

Her hand moved from Brittany's arm up to the back of her neck and she pulled her in, bringing their lips together in a crash. Brittany's gasp combined with the feeling of her soft lips on her own made Santana's mind blank. She barely recognized the softening of their mouths against each other as Brittany kissed her back. The kiss gentled, their lips softly caressing each other's.

Santana had heard all the clichés about seeing fireworks with a kiss, and she thought that they were all bogus fairytale kind of things. But she was seeing fireworks kissing Brittany. It was the best thing she had ever felt, and she knew deep down that she would never feel like this from kissing anyone else. She was falling for Brittany, and she was falling hard.

But all she could concentrate on at this moment was the most amazing kiss she had ever experienced in her life.

 **A/N: Holy crap, right? Who expected that to happen? Santana turned Brittany down, only to surprise kiss her in the end!**

 **What do you guys think about Santana's relationship with Rachel? Do you think Rachel's advice has been good so far? And what do you think is going through Brittany's mind with that kiss?**

 **What do you guys think is gonna happen next? I know you are probably all gonna kill me by ending it like that, but I HAD TO! Any other thoughts or comments?**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Brittany was seeing stars. Santana had surprised her by kissing her suddenly, especially after just rejecting her twice in succession after Brittany had put herself out there for her. The initial press of Santana's plump lips against her own had made her heart stop momentarily and she gasped. But as the realization of what was happening hit her, the kiss gentled when she started kissing Santana back.

Their lips felt like they were made for each other. Santana's kiss sent sparks from her lips down to her toes. Brittany had never had that happen when she had kissed anyone else before, boy or girl. She had experienced an occasional tingle or breathlessness. But never the electric connection that she felt with Santana.

Brittany's hands came up to cup Santana's cheeks, wanting to hold her there forever so they would never part. Santana's lips felt so amazing that she never wanted to stop kissing her, but she knew it would have to end sometime. Their mouths slowed until they held together in one final, soft, press.

Brittany's eyes remained closed as she rested her forehead against Santana's when their lips finally parted.

"That was…" Santana breathed.

"Amazing," Brittany finished. She was grinning like an idiot. She could still hear her heart pounding in her ears, and her breathing was as fast as if she had just finished a pretty intense dance. She could feel the slight twinges of her ribs as she breathed hard, but it didn't even matter. Nothing mattered but the fact that Santana had kissed her, and kissed her so well.

Brittany's eyes fluttered open to find Santana looking at her with awe and wonder. Her lips were plumper from the kiss, parted slightly, and turned up just a hint at the corners. Brittany wanted to kiss her again so badly, but she wanted to know what spawned the change of heart.

"So does this mean that you will go out with me?"

Santana's chocolate eyes clouded and she pulled back from Brittany. Her heart broke again as she watched Santana close up once more to her. Brittany reached for her, wanting to bring her back so she could kiss away the fear and go back to being in that happy daze they were just in. But Santana stepped further away.

"I can't risk my job, Brittany. I just can't," Santana said, her voice heavy and her eyes starting to glisten with a sheen of tears.

Brittany swallowed hard, tears of her own threatening to fall and choke their way out of her throat. Santana had made her feel the best she had ever felt in her life and the worst all within a matter of minutes.

"Then why did you kiss me?" Brittany asked, her voice shaky since she was struggling to control her emotions.

Santana took a deep, shaky breath and looked pleadingly back in her eyes. Brittany could see the guilt and the hope for understanding in them.

"Because I wanted to know how it felt. Just once," she explained, a tear escaping to fall over her cheek.

Brittany gave a choked laugh, her tears falling though she tried to blink them away. She angrily wiped at them. "And now we are both cursed with knowing how it felt and never being able to do it again," she said sadly.

Santana let out a strangled sob before she tilted her head back to look at the ceiling and took a deep breath. "I am so sorry."

"Me, too."

Brittany noticed the folder in Santana's hand, recognizing it as the information for the audition. Since Santana was adamant that they had to respect the contract, Brittany might as well actually put the contract to use then. She knew now that nothing was ever going to happen romantically between her and Santana. So she needed to focus on her career now instead.

She pulled the folder out of the brunette's hand, making her look back down at her with such heartbreaking sadness. Santana had made her choice though, and now they both had to live with it.

"I guess I'll see you Monday," Brittany said, her voice now emotionless.

Santana nodded, her arms crossing over her stomach as her face fell once again. Brittany forced herself to turn away and open the door. She walked out and closed it hard behind her. She could swear she heard Santana's sob as she started to walk away, but she didn't turn back.

Brittany avoided looking at anyone as she walked out of the building. She hoped they couldn't see the tear tracks on her face or the red blotches she usually got when she cried. Even though Santana had hurt her, she didn't want to actually make things bad for her at her job. She cared about her too much. She knew that her feelings extended way beyond a crush or simple attraction. She wanted to be Santana's girlfriend. She wanted to make love with her and fall in love with her and she could even picture them together far into the future.

Santana had ruined that all.

Brittany pushed the door of the talent agency open and walked out onto the sidewalk. She found a coffee shop nearby and went into their bathroom. She cringed at the sight of her face, but she washed herself up and took a moment to center herself before she walked back out into the shop. She bought a coffee since she didn't want to just use the bathroom without buying something, and took it to go.

She didn't want to head back home just yet though. What she really wanted to do was go dance, but she couldn't without risking more damage to her ribs. When Brittany was dealing with strong emotions, she usually liked to dance them out. Being active in some way would have to do right now, so she walked. She walked toward a nearby park, sipping her coffee which was entirely too hot to be drinking on this summer afternoon, before finally disposing of it in a trash can at the park entrance.

Brittany walked quickly around the path in the park until she felt a slight twinge in her ribs. She had done more physical activity today than she had since she got injured, so she probably should have taken it a little easier than she had. She found a bench and sat down. The moment her body stopped, her mind started.

Things had been so good with her and Santana after she had stayed with the other woman after her injury. Despite the fact that Quinn had surprised her the day after the little dinner party at her apartment because Brittany was stupid enough to ignore her texts and phone calls, Brittany was still able to talk to Santana nearly every day. Whether it was through texts or even phone calls, they kept in touch.

Brittany started to learn a lot more about her agent and friend, and she opened up to Santana a lot, too. She had started to fall for Santana so hard. She knew she shouldn't. She knew it was a bad idea. But she couldn't control what her heart felt with all the logic in the world.

Quinn worried about her. She could see how dreamy-eyed Brittany got when she was texting Santana or talking to her on the phone. She argued and pleaded with Brittany to back off because she would only end up in a bad situation and getting herself hurt. Brittany knew she was probably right. But all of the reasons why she should stay away from Santana went out the window with every new text or phone call. And there was no way in hell she could ever consider not wanting to be something more with Santana when she looked at her with darkened brown eyes filled with longing.

That was why Brittany couldn't resist trying to kiss her earlier. If only she hadn't even tried, then maybe she wouldn't have gotten her heart walked all over by the only person she had ever had these strong of feelings for.

She had known Santana had some sort of attraction to her. She had never imagined that she was, in fact, a closeted lesbian with no experience with a woman at all. Or that, despite how Brittany had hoped for it, she actually liked Brittany the way Brittany liked her. But the biggest thing Brittany hadn't imagined was that Santana would reject her. Not once, not even twice, but three times.

Brittany could have gotten over it when Santana turned away from their almost kiss. She also could have gotten over it when Santana turned her down when she asked her out. It would have been hard since she knew Santana wanted to date her too, but was hiding behind their contract for whoever knows what reason. However, after Santana kissed her and completely blew her mind and gave her hope again and then said they couldn't be together, Brittany was done.

She understood that Santana was scared. Santana was scared that she could lose her job if something developed between them. But Brittany would never ask Santana to risk her career for her. She would tear up the contract in a second if it meant she had a chance to date Santana. But Santana was too scared to risk it.

She was scared because she was still in the closet and barely had the tip of a toe peeking out. She wasn't really ready to risk putting herself out there for a relationship that would actually mean something. A relationship that would actually have feelings. Brittany knew Santana hadn't had a meaningful relationship in the past. They had talked enough to know that she had dated a lot of guys, but hadn't really had boyfriends. And the way she talked about them meant none of them were anything serious.

And Santana's confession today that she was a lesbian just completely clarified everything for Brittany. From her talks with Rachel, Kurt, Santana, and even Quinn, Brittany knew that Santana wasn't the type of person to really open up. Rachel told her that it took a long time for Santana to even get really comfortable around her and let her in, and had made a point to say that she had never seen Santana gravitate so quickly to someone like she had with Brittany.

Brittany suspected that she was the first woman that Santana really felt drawn to. At least since she had accepted her sexuality. Brittany had the advantage of having experience with women. She had the time to come to terms with her bisexuality and was fine with it. But, she suspected that Santana wasn't exactly fine with being gay. Not to say that she didn't like being a lesbian, but that there was something else that terrified her.

Brittany didn't know exactly what it was. It could be anything from the fear of her boss finding out, to the fear of her sexuality being used against her. Or it could be the fact that she was scared that her family would disown her. Whatever it was, it was Santana's issue that she needed to deal with. The only thing Brittany could do was offer support. But Santana made it clear that there could be nothing more than friendship between them, despite what they both may want.

So Brittany had made up her mind. She would be Santana's friend. She would help her through whatever issues she clearly had in regards to coming out. She wanted Santana to be comfortable being herself. She didn't want her to feel like she had to always hide. She would be the support system Santana needed, and nothing more. She would have to learn to be okay with that.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket, noticing the folder she had set next to her on the bench with the audition information. She knew Santana would throw herself into helping Brittany with her career now in an effort to make herself feel better. She knew that it wouldn't make either of them feel much better, however. But Brittany was going to do her best to concentrate on nailing her auditions and getting a job since that was what Santana wanted for her.

She looked at the time on her phone, noticing that it had been an hour since she had stormed out of Santana's office. She should probably head back home and get something to eat. And she should probably call Quinn like she had promised to earlier after she had told her best friend about her meeting with Santana. Only she was dreading that phone call, since she knew Quinn was going to know something had happened.

Brittany sighed, sliding her phone back in her pocket and standing up. Her ribs felt a bit better, but she knew she would have to take it easy on her way home. She would probably be better off getting a cab than trying to take the subway. She made her way back to the street and flagged one down. Thankfully it didn't take long.

She directed it to her apartment, and twenty minutes later she paid the driver and headed up to her home. She wasn't really hungry, so she decided on just making herself a grilled cheese. She grabbed a glass and filled it up with water and took an ibuprofen to help prevent her ribs from feeling any worse than they already would after her day. She pulled out the bread, cheese, and butter and started heating the pan on the stove.

Only a matter of a few minutes later, Brittany was taking her first bite of melted cheesy goodness. She finished her sandwich and cleaned the kitchen up before heading to the living room and sprawling out on the couch. She took a deep breath and pulled up her phone and dialed.

"Hey, Britt!" Quinn greeted enthusiastically.

"Hey," Brittany replied with much less enthusiasm.

"Is everything okay? How did your meeting go with Santana?" Quinn asked, her voice less upbeat and more concerned.

"It went well. She wants me to go on an audition for that show, 'House Rulez'."

"That's a really popular show, Brittany! That's awesome!"

"Yeah," Brittany said, trying to sound at least a bit excited. She was actually excited about the audition, but everything else had her too down to really show much enthusiasm at the moment. "I mean, it is just a guest spot, but she thinks it would be a good part for me."

"What exactly is the part? If it's okay for me to ask."

"It would be a guest spot to play a nanny for the kids, where they play a whole bunch of pranks on her because they don't want a babysitter or anything taking care of them. It sounds really fun and funny."

"It does sound like it would be a great role for you to start out with," Quinn said. "So why aren't you happy about it?"

Brittany sighed, knowing that Quinn would see right through her attempt to sound happy. "I am happy about the audition."

"If it isn't the audition, then it is something else," Quinn continued, trying to pry it out of her. "What is it? Are your ribs okay? Did you hurt yourself again? Did Santana do something?"

"My ribs are fine, Quinn. I am not hurt. Well, not any more than I already was."

"So then it is Santana," her best friend said knowingly.

"Everything is fine," Brittany tried to convince her.

"What did she do, Brittany?"

Brittany winced at the harsh tone in her friend's voice, knowing that Quinn would threaten to come down to have words with (or possibly slap) Santana if she knew exactly what happened today in the agent's office.

"Nothing," she told Quinn.

"Don't lie to me. So help me God, I will make you take her to court if she did anything against your interests or that breaches the contract," Quinn said harshly.

"I don't want you to threaten her. She didn't do anything wrong, and if you go after her then I will not talk to you," Brittany countered.

"But she did do something," Quinn deduced. "Is it something to do with your feelings for her?"

Brittany let out a frustrated breath and rubbed a hand over her face. "Nothing will ever happen between her and I. Can you just be satisfied with that and let it go? Because I really don't want to talk about it."

Quinn was silent for a moment, and Brittany knew she was thinking deeply. "I really hope you will tell me one day. But I will back off. For now." Brittany rolled her eyes. "If she hurts you though, I can't make any guarantees that I won't hurt her back."

Brittany gave a quiet, wry laugh. "I know." _Which is why I won't tell you she already did_ , she thought to herself.

"At least it sounds like she is really trying to get you some good auditions though," Quinn said, trying to lighten the mood. "Rachel swears that she is the best agent ever, and, as annoying as she is, I trust her when it comes to these things. So I really hope that you land this role."

Brittany smiled for the first time in hours. "Me too."

"You have to let me know how the audition goes! And I want all the details, too," Quinn said. "When you get the job, you are going to have to tell me all about how it is on set and what the stars are like and everything."

Brittany chuckled. "Sure thing. I actually need to get the role first though."

"You will," her friend said confidently. "You are too good for them not to give it to you."

She smiled again, her heart feeling much lighter now at Quinn's belief in her. "I hope you're right. I definitely could use a stroke of good luck in that regard."

"You've only been in New York for a few weeks, and you already have a big time audition despite having a serious injury. I would say that you will be on your way to a break-out role pretty quickly."

"For someone who argued so much with me about quitting my job to give acting a try, you are certainly turning into my own personal Cheerio for my life in the performing arts," Brittany joked.

Quinn laughed. "What can I say? Sue beat cheerleading into my head for so many years that it is hard to get rid of." Brittany laughed at that, knowing exactly what Quinn meant. "Besides, I decided that if I can't support my best friend 100% in what she wants to do with her life, then I am not a very good best friend. So be prepared for a lot of enthusiastic motivation from me."

Brittany was truly happy to hear her say that. She had a hard enough time being okay with giving up her career on her own that arguing with Quinn about it had made it even harder. Quinn being completely supportive now just made her life that much better. And it would help keep her focus on what she needed to now, which was her acting career.

"You don't know how much that means to me, Quinn," Brittany said sincerely.

"I think I do," Quinn replied softly. "I love you, Britt."

"I love you, too."

They finished up their call, and Brittany was feeling a lot better after talking with her friend. There was still a lot of shit to deal with in regards to her feelings for Santana, but that was going to be a long process she was going to have to get through in order to get over the brunette. The first step she needed to take, however, was to concentrate on the good things in her life. Right now, that was her family, her friends, and her possible future acting success.

And she couldn't let herself wallow, which meant that she needed to get out of her apartment and be with people. So she picked her phone up again and made another phone call.

A few hours later saw her dancing at a club with Kurt and a couple of his friends from work. She had told him that she wanted to go out somewhere without drama, and preferably without Rachel. She knew if Rachel was invited, then Rachel would invite Santana, and she really didn't feel like seeing Santana again that evening.

So Kurt said that there was a club that some of his coworkers were raving about and they were planning on going there that evening, so she jumped on the opportunity. She wanted to get out and drink and dance and forget about the bad things. And to celebrate her upcoming audition.

Kurt was thrilled to hear about it, and bought her a drink to toast to it. She had a few more since then, and was dancing a little harder than she probably should have been. But the alcohol was making her body nice and loose, and she didn't even feel so much of a twinge in her ribs, although she knew it would be a different story tomorrow. She was having fun with Kurt's friends, two very fashionable women who looked like they would be uptight but were surprisingly easygoing, and a very gay man who clearly had an unrequited crush on Kurt.

"Hey." A voice startled her out of her dancing, and she turned to find a cute blonde guy next to her. "Can I join you?"

Brittany grinned and nodded, sidling closer to the guy as he began to move in time with her. She was pleased to see that he was a good dancer, and he kept up easily with her moves. She wasn't dancing nearly as hard as she usually would because she was still conscious of her injury, but she had a feeling that he would be able to do a good job of matching her moves if she had been.

"You're a good dancer," she yelled over the music.

He grinned at her. "Thanks. So are you!"

Brittany smiled big and lost herself in the music. The guy wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to his body, allowing them to move together to the beat. She went with it and turned in his arms, putting her back against his front and fitting her ass into his hips.

"My name's Chad," he said into her ear, his breath tickling her and making goosebumps spread down her neck.

"Brittany," she replied, closing her eyes and leaning her head back against his shoulder.

His hands settled on her hips and she started to grind into him a little. He pulled her ass into him a little harder, and she could feel him starting to react to their activities. She wasn't interested in sleeping with him. She just wanted to dance, and he seemed to be okay with just dancing. At least for now.

The song changed, and so did their moves. Brittany turned around to face him and they started to sway close together. Her eyes were fixed on his shoulder, not wanting to make eye contact with him and give him any encouragement. But she couldn't stop her body from doing what it needed to do. She dipped and bent and moved her hips in time to the beat of the song, which helped her lose herself and take her mind off of Santana.

She danced with Chad for several songs before she told him that she needed a break. He nodded and offered to go to the bar with her. She locked eyes with Kurt as they walked off of the dance floor, and he gave her a wink and a thumb's up. She just gave him a smile in acknowledgement, but rolled her eyes as she turned away. She wasn't interested in getting with Chad, but Kurt didn't need to know that.

Chad bought her a drink, and she took several large sips to wet her dry throat.

"So are you a dancer?" Chad asked as they relaxed against one of the tables.

"Not really," she replied. "I mean, I've taken lessons pretty much my whole life, but I don't dance professionally."

Chad nodded and smiled in appreciation. "I would say that you can dance professionally if you wanted to." She grinned at his praise. "So if you don't dance for a living, what is it that you do?"

"Well, I was a research mathematician up until a few months ago." She almost laughed as his eyes widened a little in either surprise or intimidation. "But I quit to pursue acting."

Now his expression turned incredulous. "You gave up a career as a mathematician to become an actress?" She nodded. "That is a huge change."

She laughed now, understanding that he was trying to figure her out. "Yeah. Math was just always something I could easily do, but I didn't enjoy it. I love performing, and I figured that I should just go for it. If it doesn't work out, I can always go back to mathematics, but I would regret it if I never tried."

He definitely looked impressed now. "I can respect that."

"So what do you do?" Brittany asked him.

"Nothing nearly as cool as you," he said, averting his eyes due to discomfort.

"Aw, come on," she cajoled. "I told you mine, now you have to tell me yours."

He mumbled something but she couldn't hear it over the music. She asked him to repeat it, and she strained to hear him as he said it again.

"I'm a stripper."

Brittany definitely could see that. With his good looks, clearly nice body, and his smooth dance moves, he for sure would make a good stripper. "Cool," she said, wanting to make him more comfortable since she was never one to judge someone. "I have a tendency to strip when I'm drunk, though no one has actually paid me for it yet."

He studied her for a moment, trying to see if she was making fun of him. Once he was satisfied that she was just trying to make it known that she was okay with his career, he smiled and gave a little laugh.

"Well, I have a feeling you could make a killing doing it, but you are made for bigger and better things," he complimented.

"We'll see," she said, taking another sip of her drink.

"So, do you maybe wanna get out of here?" Chad asked, getting a little closer to her and leaning toward her ear.

Brittany sighed. She had been having a pretty good time with him, but now she was going to have to turn him down.

"I'm sorry, but I'm really not looking to get with anyone right now," she told him.

He locked eyes with her and she saw disappointment. "Well, could I maybe get your number so we could maybe hang out again? I had a really good time with you."

"I had fun, too," she said. "But I am going to be honest with you. I have feelings for someone else, and I really have no interest in hooking up or dating anyone else. If you are okay with being friends, then I definitely have no problem giving you my number so we can hang out again. But if you are going to try to use it as a means to try to get in my pants at some point, just know that it won't happen."

Chad looked a little surprised for a moment, then gave a genuine laugh. "I really like you," he said. "I think you would be so much fun to hang with. I can definitely do just friends, if you are up to it. I never try to force myself when I'm not wanted. Besides, you are an awesome dancer, and I would love to get to dance with you again. I don't meet too many girls who can keep up with me."

She grinned at that, unable to resist. "I wasn't even going full force out there tonight," she confessed. "I got hurt a couple weeks ago and haven't fully recovered yet. Just wait until I am back to 100%."

She finished with a wink, and Chad grinned. "I look forward to it. Here, give me your phone and I will put my number in for you. If you ever feel like going out dancing again when you are feeling back to normal, just give me a call and you can show me how you really can move. Maybe you could teach me a thing or two."

She handed over her phone and watched as he put in his contact information. "I will see when I am free and maybe we can go out and I can school you," she teased. "I have an audition coming up, so it depends on that as to when I will be available."

"Cool. Good luck on your audition," he said.

"Thanks. I had a good time, but I think I should probably get back to my friends."

He nodded. "Have a good rest of your night. And I hope to hear from you."

She gave him a final smile and said goodnight before making her way back over to Kurt and his friends. She liked Chad, and she believed that he was genuine about being okay with just being friendly. She was definitely not ready to try to force herself to be with someone else when she felt so strongly for Santana. Even though she knew there was no hope for them, she needed time for her heart to realize it before she would be able to consider dating anyone else.

For now, she just wanted to concentrate on enjoying the rest of her night. She would get back to real life in the morning.

 **A/N: So how many of you expected Santana to freak and put her walls back up after the kiss? I know a couple of you had suspicions. And now who wants to punch me for doing that? lol Come on, guys, I couldn't make it THAT easy! Santana isn't ready and she has to find that courage deep within herself before she can take that plunge. But she is taking baby steps!**

 **What about Quinn? Do you think she is being a good friend to Brittany? Or maybe is she a little overzealous in her protection of her friend from Santana?**

 **And who got scared when Chad got brought into the picture? haha Hope I made it clear that Brittany isn't going to hop into bed with someone to get over her feelings for Santana. And how do you think Santana is feeling after sending Brittany away after that kiss?**

 **Any other thoughts or comments? I love your reviews, guys! Thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Santana was miserable. Utterly miserable.

Ever since the day she had kissed Brittany and completely fucked everything up between them, she had been in a terrible, depressed mood.

But God, that kiss was the best she had ever experienced. She had known that kissing Brittany would feel incredible. She hadn't known how she wouldn't be able to stop replaying it over and over again in her mind. She could swear that she could still taste Brittany on her lips even days later.

Santana had a feeling that she would never forget it.

She knew it had been a mistake to kiss Brittany as soon as their lips parted. The high from the most amazing kiss of her life wore off quickly when Brittany asked if it had meant that she changed her mind. Santana hadn't really been thinking when she kissed her. She just didn't want Brittany to leave upset, and she couldn't resist. She just wanted to do something she truly desired for once.

And now they were both paying for it. Brittany probably hated her. Santana hated herself for it. Had she just let Brittany go, they could have gotten over things and gone back to being friends. But now, they hadn't even talked for three days and tomorrow was Brittany's audition.

Santana wasn't sure if Brittany still wanted her to go with. She figured that she probably didn't, but she wanted to be there for her however she needed her (as her agent only, of course) and if that meant that Brittany wanted her to accompany her, then she would do anything to make that happen.

Even if she wasn't particularly happy with the blonde at the moment, either.

It started Friday evening when she met up with Rachel and Kurt for dinner and drinks. She had gotten a call from Rachel wanting to get together with everyone. She agreed even though she figured Rachel was going to invite Brittany as well. And after what had happened the day before, she imagined it would be awkward. But it would have been more awkward to try to explain why they wanted to avoid each other to Rachel and Kurt.

Apparently, she needn't have worried. She arrived at dinner to find only Rachel and Kurt. She didn't even need to ask where Brittany was, as Kurt launched into a story of their exploits the night before. He explained that she told him that her ribs were feeling pretty sore after their night of dancing at the club, and Santana had to fight the urge to call Brittany immediately. She was torn between wanting to berate her for overdoing it and wanting to check to make sure that she was okay.

At least until Kurt mentioned the guy she had been with nearly all night. Santana clenched her fists in her lap underneath the table, struggling to keep from biting Kurt's head off as he talked about how hot the guy was and how Brittany had left the club with his number. But not until after a bunch of close, sexy dancing.

Santana could see Rachel looking worriedly at her out of the corner of her eye, but she refused to meet the other woman's gaze. If she did, she wouldn't be able to hold it together. She wanted to punch someone. She wanted to cry. She wanted to confront Brittany for going out and hooking up with a guy the same day after confessing their feelings for each other.

Not that Santana really would necessarily blame her, considering she had basically told Brittany that nothing could ever happen between them. She knew she had shattered Brittany's heart. She had shattered her own heart. But she never expected that the woman would go after someone else to ease her hurt feelings that quickly.

Santana needed to get over it. She had no right to be pissed off or jealous. At least it was easy to tell herself that. It was another thing to actually be able to do. Her heart was hurting too much. She was too angry. Mostly at herself, but a little bit at Brittany too.

She knew it was all her fault though. It was her own stupid actions that caused this mess.

She made it through dinner with Kurt and Rachel without too much of a problem, although alcohol actually helped. At least it didn't make her start breaking down crying, so that was a win in her book. Santana knew that Rachel wanted to talk to her about Brittany, but thankfully Rachel only told her to call her if she wanted to talk about anything. She almost did, but she was adamantly against telling Rachel what had happened between her and Brittany with the kiss and the rejection. She didn't need her best friend berating her for being an idiot when she already knew she was.

Yesterday had been hell. She sat alone in her apartment most of the day sulking until she started to go stir crazy. Then she decided to work out some of her frustration and so she went to the gym and ran for five miles. She felt a little bit better after that, so she did some weight training. She worked hard and went home exhausted.

It at least helped her fall asleep quickly that night.

It didn't help too much when she woke up in the morning and thought of Brittany first thing. She was still torn between calling her to see how she was doing and ignoring her because she was mad. But mostly, she was just afraid of Brittany being upset with her and she didn't think she could handle hearing Brittany's pain.

She tried to distract herself again, but it didn't really work. And she really did need to get in touch with Brittany at some point to see if she still wanted Santana to go to the audition in the morning.

So she decided to send a text.

 _Did you still want me to go to the audition with you tomorrow?- Santana_

She wasn't sure she would get a reply, so she decided to concentrate on doing some work. She was working on getting some more information about that play on Broadway for Rachel. All she had was some rumors so far, so she was working on tracking down who was going to be producing the musical to get the scoop on it. She got her laptop and was looking at the Broadway blogs for any news when her phone went off with a text message notification.

She assumed it was Rachel, so she was surprised when she saw that Brittany had actually responded.

 _Yes, please. I would feel more comfortable if you were there to show me the ropes.- Brittany_

Santana was relieved that Brittany texted her back. She was relieved that Brittany still wanted her to go with her on the audition. She was relieved that Brittany said she actually would feel comfortable around her after everything that happened.

 _I will be there then. Did you want me to meet you there? Or I can pick you up at your place with breakfast?- Santana_

She hoped Brittany wanted her to come to her apartment. She wanted things to be okay between them. At least as okay as they could be. She wanted to go back to just being friends, even though they were never really _just_ friends with their feelings for each other. But friends were all they could be.

 _No, I will meet you there- Brittany_

Santana sighed, leaning her head back against the back of the couch and closing her eyes as her heart sunk. Guess things won't be as easy to get back to the way they were before.

 _Okay. Get some good rest tonight, and don't prep for too long since it can make you overthink. I'll see you tomorrow- Santana_

 _See you- Brittany_

Santana had the urge to throw her phone across the room. She had fucked up so, so badly.

She did not sleep well at all that night. She kept thinking about Brittany and their kiss and how Brittany probably hated her and how Brittany had probably already found someone else who could openly date her. When she did sleep, she kept reliving the amazing kiss she shared with Brittany, only to have it turn into watching Brittany kiss someone else.

Monday morning saw Santana waking up at 5:30am. She just couldn't sleep anymore, though her body desperately craved it. So she got out of bed, took a long, hot shower, and got ready for her day. She dressed in a tight-fitting red dress and black heels. She left her hair loose and flowing in big curls and put on some light make-up. She wanted to still look good for Brittany.

She didn't know what the hell was wrong with her.

Santana stopped at a coffee shop on her way to the building where the audition was being held. She bought a couple of muffins, a large coffee for herself, and a coffee for Brittany as well. Though Brittany told her not to meet her at her apartment or bring breakfast, but she didn't want to show up with stuff for herself and nothing for Brittany. Even if the blonde didn't want it, at least she tried.

She took a cab the rest of the way to the building and arrived at 7:30am. She had wanted to get there before Brittany did so the other woman didn't have to sit around and wait on her awkwardly. Santana didn't even have to wait long outside of the building before Brittany showed up. Santana had told her to be there about twenty minutes before 8am, and Brittany arrived precisely twenty-five minutes before 8am.

Santana gave her a little smile, unsure how she was going to be received. "Good morning. I got you some coffee and a muffin if you want it."

Brittany actually gave her a grateful smile in return. "Thanks. I was so worried about time when I got up this morning that I didn't even get any coffee. I'm not sure I could eat much with as nervous as I am, but I would love the coffee."

Santana understood, so she handed over the coffee, already prepared how she knew Brittany liked it from previous conversations. "You should probably try to eat a little bit though. It's chocolate chip," Santana said, trying to entice her.

Brittany took the coffee and took a cautious sip. "I can probably manage a couple of bites," Brittany said.

Santana bit her lip to stop the grin from overtaking her face. She was glad that Brittany was taking her advice. She would be better in there with something in her stomach. She pulled out the other muffin and handed it to her. Then she led the way into the building as they sipped their coffee and nibbled their muffins.

Santana showed Brittany where to check in, hanging back so it looked like she was just there as support and not to show Brittany what to do. Being new to the business could be tough, particularly if people could sense you were a newbie. She didn't want the other actresses to smell blood and go after Brittany if she could help it.

Brittany did what she was supposed to do and came back to stand next to Santana again. They quietly drank their coffees, and Santana ate the rest of her muffin. Brittany ate about half of hers before she threw it away. It seemed like forever before either of them spoke.

"Thanks for coming with me," she told Santana quietly. "I know things are kind of weird right now, but I really appreciate you being here."

Santana stiffened, uncomfortable with having this conversation right here and now. But she knew she wouldn't be able to help herself.

"You know I would never shut you out," Santana replied in a hush, avoiding looking at the girl who made her feel so much. "I promised you I would do whatever you needed to help your career. And what happened between us doesn't change that. It can't change that."

She heard Brittany sigh, and she peeked out of the corner of her eye to find Brittany studying her coffee cup with a frown on her face.

"Okay Santana," she said, defeated. "Whatever you want."

Suddenly, Santana found herself getting angry. Brittany was acting like Santana had an actual choice in this. Santana had no choice. Once that contract was signed, absolutely nothing could happen between her and Brittany. No matter how much she wanted otherwise.

"Yeah, well, it didn't seem like you were too upset about it that night after you left," she bit out.

"What are you even talking about?" Brittany asked, offended and confused.

"Just forget it."

Santana made to walk away, but Brittany stopped her with a hand on her bicep.

"No, I want to know what the hell makes you think that I was not devastated by the fact that the woman that I have feelings for rejected me after I literally got on my knees to beg her to go out with me. So what is it?" Brittany asked angrily.

"Oh, I don't know," Santana scoffed as she turned to meet Brittany's fiery blue eyes, "maybe it was the fact that you were getting down and dirty on the dance floor with some random guy only hours later. I'm sure you were so devastated when you were grinding on him and giving him your number."

Brittany closed her eyes in defeat briefly and her shoulders sagged. Santana felt angrier at that, as Brittany realized that Santana knew what she had done.

"So maybe you can stop acting like I crucified you now," she said, unable to disguise the hurt in her voice. "Because you know that you're not the only one whose heart got broken that day."

"Santana," Brittany said, her voice sad and pleading. "It wasn't even like that. I was dancing to try and get my mind off of what had happened with you. I was also drinking to try and forget."

"Sure, blame the alcohol." Santana rolled her eyes.

"Please, let me finish," Brittany said quietly. Santana pulled her arm out of Brittany's hand and crossed it protectively across her chest, holding onto the other arm that held her coffee. She looked down at her feet, but didn't walk away. "I was hurt so badly that I just wanted to forget for awhile. But nothing happened with that guy. We danced, and I lose myself a little when I dance. But I didn't kiss him, I didn't give him my number, and I told him I wasn't interested. Because I can't just forget you, Santana. No matter how much you may want me to, I can't stop wanting to be with you."

Santana's eyes drifted up to see Brittany looking at her with truth and something deeper in her eyes. Her heart fluttered a little in her chest, but she wasn't quite ready to believe her. Her heart was still hurting.

"But Kurt said that you exchanged numbers," she argued half-heartedly.

Brittany shook her head as her hand reached out toward Santana, only to stop in mid-motion. She clenched her hand into a fist and put it down at her side. "He gave me his number in case I ever wanted to go out dancing with him again. He understood that I was only willing to be friends, and he respected that. I haven't even talked to him since that night. I promise you. I can show you my phone record if you don't believe me."

Santana felt the last of her anger and hurt from the thought that Brittany had been with someone else fade away. Even though she was the one who told Brittany that they couldn't be together, she never wanted Brittany to go out and immediately find someone else. She still held out hope deep down that maybe Brittany could wait for her, so someday they could try to be together, but she rationally knew that it was stupid to hold onto that dream.

She sighed and shook her head a little. "It doesn't even matter," she said quietly.

"But it does," Brittany countered. "I know we can't be together, but I just need you to know that I only want to be with you. And I would never go out with someone else when I feel this way about you, San. I just can't."

Santana's eyes locked onto Brittany's soulful blue ones, and she felt that overwhelming tug in her chest. She wanted to move forward and bring Brittany's lips to hers again. To taste her one more time.

The sound of a name being called broke their attention away from each other. While they had been talking, the auditions had started. Santana was horrified that she had distracted Brittany away from the reason of why they were there. She had a job to do, and that was to help Brittany land a role. And she was doing a poor job of that at the moment.

"Shit," Santana cursed quietly. "I'm so sorry, Brittany. I should never have even talked about that with you right now. You need to be focused and-"

"Santana," Brittany interrupted. "It's fine. It's okay."

"No, it's not." Santana brushed her hair back from her face in irritation at herself.

"It is," Brittany promised. "In fact, it was probably better we cleared the air before I went in there instead of still having everything be strained between us."

Santana shook her head, still horrified that she had allowed Brittany to focus on something other than her audition. Much less having the object of distraction be something to do with her.

"Just, focus on preparing for the audition and forget that I ever said anything that didn't pertain to that," Santana said, freaking out.

Brittany watched her, a slight smirk on her face, but then turned her attention to the papers she pulled out of her purse with the lines she needed to know. Santana berated herself internally while Brittany studied her scene.

But Santana couldn't stop herself from studying the blonde while Brittany's attention was diverted. Santana didn't know how to not be happy that Brittany wasn't actually into that guy she met at the club. She was elated that Brittany hadn't hooked up with some random person in an attempt to forget about Santana. She wanted the other woman to be happy, but she just wasn't ready for her to move on just yet.

Santana watched Brittany study her lines. Brittany moved her mouth a little as she read the paper, which Santana found adorable. Brittany's hair kept falling in her face, despite the number of times she tucked it behind her ear. Santana wanted to reach out and do it for her, but held herself in check and smiled softly as Brittany did it again. She felt her heart flutter a little when Brittany bit her lip as she looked back over the paper.

Santana had finished her coffee, and had noticed that Brittany hadn't taken a drink of hers in awhile.

"You done with your coffee?"

Brittany looked up and blinked at her, and Santana found her confusion adorable.

"Your coffee. Are you finished with it?"

Brittany looked down at the coffee cup she still held in her hand, seeming to just realize it was there. "Oh! Uh, yeah."

"Here. Give it to me and I can throw it away for you," Santana offered, holding out her empty hand.

Brittany smiled gratefully and handed it over. She immediately went back to looking over her lines while Santana threw away their trash.

Santana leaned against the wall by the trash can and watched Brittany some more. Santana knew that she was stupid for the way she acted before. She had no claim over Brittany. But she had never felt like this about anyone else before. She just didn't know how to react when someone she was desperately wanting to be with maybe was with someone else. She also didn't know how to respond when she had these feelings for someone and couldn't actually do anything about them.

When she had dated guys, she never had a problem in being the aggressor. She would go up to a guy and tell him to take her out and it happened. But once she realized that she really wasn't into guys the way she was into girls, she just seemed to lose that confidence. She had never had the courage to go up to a woman she found attractive. And she had never once felt the kind of attraction for any other woman as she felt for Brittany.

Brittany was like an addiction to her. She knew that she shouldn't want her, but she couldn't help it. Brittany was in her blood, taking over all of her senses and making her brain focus only on Brittany, Brittany, Brittany. Santana wished that she didn't feel like this. That she could have felt this way about a woman who wasn't her client. A woman that she was not contractually bound to not have a relationship with. A woman who she could actually date and be able to fall in love with without repercussions.

But her heart knew that Brittany was what it wanted from the moment she saw the beautiful blonde. She was amazed and awed that Brittany had feelings for her too, but Santana just hated that bitch fate for making them both feel like this only to not let them be together.

Santana understood that things could have been different. Things could be different. But Santana also knew that the overwhelming depth of emotion she felt for Brittany terrified her. Hiding behind the contract was a safe way to protect herself from getting hurt in a way that she had never been hurt before.

She was starting to second guess that decision now, however. Because she was just as capable of getting her heart broken without even being in a relationship with Brittany. All because of her own stupidity.

She knew that it was too late now, though. Santana had lost her chance. She had screwed up the opportunities that had been presented to her, and now Brittany probably would never even want to be with her if she came to the blonde on bended knee, begging for a chance. She was just surprised Brittany was even willing to be nice to her after the way she acted, both at her office and today.

She was startled out of her thoughts when she heard Brittany's name called. Santana looked over at the blonde, who looked up and met Santana's eyes with a look of fear. She could see the nerves taking over Brittany.

"You got this, Brittany," she told her.

Brittany took a deep breath and nodded.

"Break a leg," Santana said quietly.

She wasn't sure Brittany heard her as the other woman headed to the hassled looking woman with a clipboard. The blonde disappeared into the room, leaving Santana out in the waiting area with all the other hopeful actresses.

Santana was surprised at how nervous she was. It wasn't even her audition, but she was as nervous as if it were. She really, really wanted Brittany to nail this audition. Not only because she wanted Brittany to get a great role to start her career, but because she just wanted good things for Brittany. Especially if she couldn't give Brittany what she wanted romantically, she could at least try to get her what she wanted professionally.

Santana stressed over how their discussion may have screwed up Brittany's chances at landing this role. She feared that she fucked up Brittany's chances by nearly taking her head off earlier. She found herself unable to stand still. She started pacing the waiting area, drawing the annoyed looks of the women who were prepping for their auditions.

God, how could she be so stupid for even bringing that up today? She knew that Brittany told her that it was okay, but if Brittany didn't do well in there then Santana would blame herself. And rightly so, she figured, since Brittany would have been focused on the audition instead of trying to make Santana feel better.

That was it. Santana was an idiot. She wasn't good for Brittany at all. Why did she think she could do this? She wasn't a good agent. She just got lucky with her clients. Hell, Rachel was her best client and she landed in Santana's lap practically. Brittany had talent, but Santana wasn't sure she was good enough to help Brittany shape her career. Maybe Brittany would be better off if she went with a different agent. That way Brittany could have someone who focused on actually getting her good roles instead of how she would feel in their arms.

Santana started to wring her hands. She tended to do it when she was really nervous. She couldn't remember feeling like this since she almost had a breakdown on the day she finally admitted to herself that she was gay. Why was she freaking out so badly about this? She never got like this when she had gone on auditions with clients before.

She needed to get a grip on herself. She would do Brittany absolutely no good by becoming a hot mess. If she ended up being the worst agent ever for Brittany, her boss would likely recommend terminating the contract. She really didn't want that to happen because she hated failure. And because she didn't want to risk Brittany not being able to sign with another agent due to her failed auditions and ruining her entire career all because Santana couldn't handle it.

And she was starting to pace even faster now. She wouldn't relax until Brittany came back out and she found out how it went.

After what seemed like an eternity, Brittany came back out. Her appearance caused Santana's frantic pacing to immediately stop. It didn't stop Santana from practically squeezing her fingers off with nerves. She tried to be strong. She tried to keep her walls up, so Brittany wouldn't see how entirely screwed up in the head she was with this right now.

Brittany gave her a tentative smile as she walked toward her. She didn't seem upset or sad, which was a good sign. Santana relaxed just the tiniest bit.

"How'd it go?" Santana asked once Brittany reached her. Her voice was tight with the tension she was trying to keep under control.

"I think it went pretty good," Brittany answered with a little shrug. "I mean, they were laughing at the right parts and we talked for a little bit about things. They didn't seem like I sucked, so I guess that's good?"

Santana let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. The tension started to fade away at hearing that Brittany's audition wasn't a failure. "Yeah, that's definitely a good thing. I will follow up with the casting director in a few days just to see the status of things. But we probably won't hear anything for at least a week."

Brittany nodded and they started to walk towards the front of the building. "So do you think I have a chance?"

Santana thought for a moment. She wanted to immediately tell Brittany 'yes', but she also didn't want to give her any false hopes if she didn't have a shot. But Brittany was supremely talented, especially when it came to comedy and comedic delivery. Plus, from what Brittany said, the casting panel liked her and thought she was funny. And they talked to Brittany instead of just sending her on her way after doing her reading.

"I really think you do, Britt," she finally answered. "From what you said, it sounded like you had a really good audition. Not to mention, I think this role is just practically perfect for you. They would be stupid not to offer it to you."

Brittany grinned, her beautiful blue eyes lighting up and making Santana's heart skip a beat. She felt like she was on a cloud now, and she wanted to do what she could to make that smile appear on Brittany's face. And right now, that meant she could help her land a role. She knew she wouldn't give up Brittany as a client if she had a chance to help her out.

"Thanks, San. I really hope you're right, but even if I don't get it, I know you will find me something else just as good," Brittany said, honesty lacing her words. "I still think you're pretty awesome, you know."

She felt the flush of heat in her face at Brittany's words. She thought about how she had been second-guessing her ability to do her job effectively for Brittany only minutes before. She was embarrassed by her freak-out, but she was also embarrassingly pleased by of Brittany's blind faith in her. She wanted to be the type of person Brittany thought she was. She wanted to be better than the scared, closed off woman that she was currently.

Santana swore she would do best by Brittany. She just wasn't sure exactly in what way that was going to be yet.

 **A/N: So Santana was clearly pretty messed up after that kiss. And Chad sufficiently made her jealous, but Brittany and Santana were able to clear the air between them. Maybe they can start over and begin to move toward repairing the rift Santana's rejection caused?**

 **I hope I made it pretty clear that Brittany will NOT be exploring a relationship with anyone else during this fic. Chad was never going to be a legitimate love interest or even a hook up.**

 **Do you think Brittany will get the part? Do you think that she and Santana can actually be friends for long? Any other thoughts or comments?**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

It had been a couple of weeks since Brittany's audition. Things had been going better with Santana. They weren't anywhere near as comfortable as they had been before the reveal of feelings and the kiss, but they were back to talking and texting regularly.

Brittany was honestly confused about everything. She had made the decision after Santana had turned her down that day in her office that she would concentrate on her career and forget about trying to have anything romantic with her agent. That night out at the club hadn't made her change her mind, although it didn't help her forget.

Then, Rachel had called Brittany the night following the day of Santana's rejection and sent Brittany's mind into a whirlwind of indecision. Nothing specific was said, but Rachel basically told her how sad Santana had been at dinner that night and that she hoped that Brittany was feeling well enough to hang out with Santana again soon.

Brittany knew that Rachel thought she was good for Santana. The woman had told her straight up that she brought out a side in Santana that nobody else ever had before. And now that Brittany knew that Rachel was the only other person who was aware of Santana's sexuality, she strongly suspected that Rachel could tell that there were more than friendly feelings between them. From Rachel's actions, it would seem that she was a fan of the idea of Brittany and Santana together.

Rachel never came out and told her about her suspicions or anything. Brittany wasn't even sure if Santana told Rachel about how she felt about Brittany, and Brittany had thought that she was pretty good at hiding her own feelings for Santana whenever they were together. But Rachel, though pretty self-absorbed, wasn't an idiot. And if she was the first person that Santana had told about her sexuality, then there was a strong likelihood that she also knew exactly who it was that Santana liked.

But that phone call made Brittany wonder. If Rachel knew about Santana's feelings for Brittany, then Brittany had to wonder just how strongly Santana felt about her that she would let even one person know despite the fact that she was so firmly in the closet. If Santana liked her that much, then why was she so adamant about them not being together?

There had to be something more going on like Brittany had thought before. But, the fact that Rachel had made a point to tell Brittany (likely knowing about Santana's feelings for her) that Santana was sad at dinner, then Brittany had to believe that Rachel was telling Brittany that Santana was sad about her.

She had made herself believe that Santana was never going to be able to date her. She didn't believe that Santana thought she was worth it. But now she wasn't so sure. Santana was seriously upset after their interaction at the talent agency. She had still rejected Brittany so badly though.

Brittany had spent her weekend going back and forth over what to do with Santana. When Santana had texted her asking if she still wanted her to go to the audition, she immediately said yes. She couldn't resist seeing Santana, and she honestly would feel more comfortable whenever Santana was there for her. But she didn't know how to act around her anymore.

When she saw Santana again at the audition, she knew she was going to have a long way to go to get over her feelings. Her body reacted the way it always did upon seeing her, but even stronger now that she knew what kissing Santana felt like. And she couldn't help but feel that flutter in her heart when Santana had said she brought her coffee and a muffin.

And then Brittany saw how truly devastated Santana was with everything that had happened. Santana looked like Brittany had stabbed her when she told her that she knew that Brittany had been dancing with Chad at the club that night. Damn Kurt for opening his big mouth and spreading stories!

Brittany wanted to scream at herself for even creating the opportunity for making it look like she was getting back at Santana for turning her down, or just that she didn't feel as strongly for the Latina as she actually did. Santana clearly had deep feelings for her. Deeper than Brittany had thought, based on the relief in Santana's eyes when she explained what really happened that night. Santana looked like she was on the verge of changing her mind about everything after Brittany told her how strongly she felt and how she promised that she would never have an interest in anyone else while she still felt the way she did about Santana.

She thought now that maybe- just maybe- if she kept up being Santana's friend and just being around her then Santana may get comfortable enough to risk taking a step toward a relationship. She could only hope it could happen. Brittany swore to herself then that she would give up her anger toward Santana and just give the other woman time. Time to learn how to live with her feelings. Time to learn how to deal with them and how to be okay with being in a relationship with another woman. And she would continue to be there to support her and let her know how amazing she truly was. Because, unless Santana started to believe it, then she would never get the courage to do what she needed to do.

Santana surprised Brittany nearly a week after the audition when she told her that she had contacted the casting director and was told that Brittany was still being considered for the role. Brittany knew she hadn't bombed the audition, but she was still finding it hard to believe that she could even have a shot of landing such a major guest-starring role on one of the biggest television shows.

Santana kept reassuring her that Brittany deserved it. Every time Brittany mentioned her nerves about it, her agent always built her confidence back up. It made Brittany's chest swell with feelings for Santana and never failed to leave a goofy smile on her face.

Santana really was great. She was kind, caring, and a wonderful friend. If only she could get over her fear, things would be great.

Santana did tell her that she had some other auditions lined up for some various plays or other small roles, but they weren't going to be until a few more weeks. Brittany was a little worried by this, but Santana assured her that it was good because if she got the part on 'House Rulez' then she would have time for the filming of that and still be able to go on the other auditions without conflict.

Brittany was out getting some groceries when Santana called her again two weeks after the audition. She had been talking to Santana mostly through texts, so she figured that it was important when Santana called.

"Hey, Santana," she greeted after she picked up the call.

"Hi, Brittany. Do you have a few minutes?"

Brittany's heart stopped briefly, having the feeling that this was about the audition. She stopped in the middle of the cereal aisle, setting her box of Lucky Charms back onto the shelf.

"Yeah, sure," she said, her voice a little high with nerves.

"So I heard back from the casting director for 'House Rulez'," Santana said, making Brittany nearly faint with anxiety. "They made their decision."

Brittany was about to hyperventilate. She was so sure she wasn't going to get it. "What did they say?"

"You got the part, Britt."

"What?" Brittany asked, sure she didn't hear Santana right.

"You got the part! They absolutely loved you, Brittany," Santana enthused.

"Are you serious right now? I got it?" Brittany's voice started to get louder and she drew some looks from her fellow shoppers.

"Yeah, I'm serious. If you can come by my office tomorrow, we can go over the details, but filming starts next Monday," Santana told her. Brittany could hear the smile in her voice, and she could feel her grin start to stretch across her face.

"I got the part! Oh my God, Santana! I got the part!" Brittany was jumping up and down like a lunatic now, the items in her grocery basket on her arm bouncing around. She felt so excited about this opportunity. She maybe wasn't crazy for giving up her career to try acting.

"You did," Santana laughed. "I am so proud of you."

Brittany settled down as Santana's words went straight to her heart. Her grin softened and her hand automatically went to cover her heart, which was now beating harder for a different reason entirely.

"Thank you. But I wouldn't have gotten it if it weren't for you. I owe you so much, San," Brittany said sincerely.

There was a moment of quiet until Santana cleared her throat, and Brittany could hear the emotion in her voice when she spoke again.

"I was just doing my job. It was all you for landing the role."

Brittany felt a surge of pride in herself. Pride that Santana believed in her. She believed in her talent and her promise, and now she had gotten a guest spot on a show on her very first audition.

"You know, we should go out and celebrate," Brittany suggested.

"Oh, I don't know," Santana protested.

"No, I mean all of us!" Brittany hastened to add, not wanting Santana to pull back from her by thinking it was a proposed date or anything. "You know Rachel and Kurt will want to celebrate anyways, and they would pull you into it. So why don't we just skip that step and invite them out to party because I got my first acting gig!"

Santana laughed again, and it was music to Brittany's ears. "Alright, big shot," she teased. "We can all go out and celebrate. But don't let it go to your head. I don't need another Rachel Berry on my hands."

"Oh, please! You know I won't be that much of a diva," Brittany laughed.

"No, I don't think you ever could be," Santana said softly.

Brittany's smile turned all kinds of shy, even though Santana wasn't there to see her. She loved when Santana was like this. All sweet and adorable with her. But it wasn't the right time for Brittany to get all gooey from Santana. Maybe one day, but not right now.

"So, drinks and dancing?" Brittany asked, changing the subject back to her celebration.

"Don't worry, Britt. I've got it covered," Santana said confidently. "I'll text you the details after I get in touch with Berry and Hummel."

"Sounds good. And thanks again, Santana," Brittany said.

"No problem."

Brittany grinned crazily again, excited about the prospect of her celebration tonight and her upcoming role. And she was excited to see Santana in a setting other than professional again. She completely forgot about her cereal and headed to the check-out. She paid for her food and made her way back to her apartment in a happy daze.

After letting her parents and Quinn know her good news (all of whom were incredibly happy for her), she started to get ready. Santana had texted earlier to tell her that they were going to pick her up at 7pm and go out to dinner before the club. She slipped on a flowing navy dress that stopped just above her knees. The dress was backless, and she made sure to bring attention to the exposed skin by pulling her hair up into a loose, curly ponytail. She finished off her look with a pair of strappy heels, some dangly silver earrings, and a smoky eye make-up.

There was a knock on her door just before 7 o'clock. She grabbed her clutch and hurried to the door. She opened it and her mouth went dry as she saw Santana standing there waiting on her.

Santana was dressed in a tight red dress, her hair loose and flowing over her shoulders just as Brittany loved it. Brittany's eyes went from the high black heels on her feet, over luscious legs, to the curves hidden by the dress, before finally settling on Santana's beautiful face. The face which was now looking at Brittany with a barely hidden desire and appreciation, and also with bashfulness.

"You look amazing, Santana," Brittany said, unable to keep her thoughts to herself.

Santana bit her lower lip and looked at the floor. "So do you," she said quietly.

Brittany blushed and smiled, pleased that Santana felt okay enough to compliment her looks. Santana looked back up and saw Brittany still staring at her with a smile, and she started to smile at her in return. They just stood there, looking at each other for several moments until Santana broke eye contact and cleared her throat.

"Rachel and Kurt are holding a cab, so we should probably go."

Brittany nodded and followed Santana out, locking her apartment door behind her. She was glad that Rachel and Kurt were coming with, because she wasn't sure how she could keep herself away from Santana if they were alone.

Rachel and Kurt enthusiastically greeted her when they got down to the cab. They both congratulated her on her successful audition and first role and they piled in the cab. Santana sat up front with the driver, letting Brittany sit in back with two of her oldest friends as they talked about the audition and how amazing it will be when filming starts. Brittany could see Santana smiling as she listened to them, her head tilted slightly toward the backseat. Santana was proud and happy for her, and it made Brittany feel amazing.

Dinner was at a nicer restaurant that Santana had connections at. She was able to get a last minute reservation, all in an effort to celebrate Brittany. The food was good, but the drinks were even better. And the conversation was fun and never dull. The night was starting out amazingly.

Rachel, Kurt, and Santana insisted on paying for Brittany's dinner and drinks for the night, and they wouldn't listen to her arguments otherwise. The club Santana decided for them to go to wasn't too far from the restaurant, so they walked there after they were done eating.

Santana paid for them all to get in, and Rachel bought their first round of drinks. Brittany was starting to get pleasantly tipsy, and she couldn't stop herself from dragging her friends onto the dance floor. Rachel and Kurt just laughed, but Santana tried to protest.

Brittany didn't care. She just wanted to dance. And it was awesome. She danced some with Rachel, she danced a little with Kurt, but mostly she danced with Santana. She danced with Santana, who had given up on trying to make it look like she wasn't dancing with her, too.

They drank some more. The more they drank, the closer she and Santana danced. Brittany noticed Rachel's eyes on them at several points in the night, but only once did their eyes meet. Rachel just gave her a grin before turning back to dance with Kurt who had caught the eye of a cute guy that seemed interested in him.

Brittany loved the fact that Santana's inhibitions were down. It meant that she could touch Santana. She could hold her close, rest her hands on her hips, and even caress her sides while Santana's arms wrapped around Brittany's neck as her back moved against Brittany's front.

Brittany thought she was getting more drunk off of Santana's proximity to her than the alcohol. And Santana letting go just made her that much dizzier.

The hours passed and it was late. Or, she should say it was early. 3am rolled around and they were all pretty drunk and worn out. Brittany was having trouble staying upright, and she and Santana were leaning on each other pretty heavily. Kurt and Rachel were getting into a cab, Kurt giddy that he got the number of that cute guy and Rachel singing show tunes in between hiccups.

Santana lived just a couple blocks from the club, so Brittany promised Kurt and Rachel that she would walk her back to her place before getting a cab home.

"Come on, Britt," Santana slurred. "Lesss go."

"Mmkay," Brittany mumbled.

Santana guided them in the direction of her apartment, and they stumbled their way along the sidewalk holding each other up. They kept laughing over little things, unable to stop the giggles that seemed to be infectious.

Finally, they reached Santana's building. Brittany wasn't sure if it was the alcohol that made her decide to walk in with Santana, or if it was the fact that Santana didn't really let go of her when she opened the door to the building. Either way, she found herself outside of Santana's door to her apartment.

"I should go," she said, realizing even in her drunk state that it probably wasn't a good idea to spend the night with the girl she had a major crush on.

"No, you drunk," Santana replied, stumbling over her words. "You shu stay. Sleep here."

"But-" Brittany tried to protest.

Santana just grabbed her hand and pulled her into the apartment with her. "Dang'russ at night."

Brittany realized that Santana was worried about her going home by herself, and so she conceded. They stumbled together through the living room, Santana unwilling to let go of her hand. Somehow they both ended up in Santana's bedroom. Brittany stopped, frozen. She wasn't sure what was going on, and it was starting to sober her up.

"Santana."

Santana dropped Brittany's hand and kicked off her shoes. Then she stumbled to the bed and pretty much face-planted onto it.

Brittany giggled and Santana giggled. Santana reached her hand out to Brittany, a clear motion for her to join the brunette on the bed. She stayed where she was, completely confused.

"Sleep, Britt," Santana commanded.

Brittany couldn't resist her demand. She kicked off her own shoes, and, taking a page from Santana's book, got into bed in her dress. She figured that if Santana didn't care about going to bed in her clothes and make-up, then she shouldn't. Not to mention, Brittany was a little too drunk and tired to worry about it either.

"Night, San," she mumbled, pulling the covers over them both.

Santana's reply was a sleepy, incoherent mumble.

The sound of an alarm startled Brittany out of sleep. She sat up quickly, immediately regretting it when her head started pounding and a wave of nausea hit her.

"What the hell?"

She looked around in confusion, realizing right away that she wasn't at home. She vaguely remembered coming to Santana's last night, and she turned to confirm that it was her agent in the bed next to her. Her agent who was still sound asleep through the blaring of her alarm. Brittany groaned, looking for the source of the noise but couldn't find it.

"Santana," she rasped, trying to wake the sleeping beauty beside her. Santana kept sleeping deeply, so she shook her arm a little, desperate for the beeping to stop.

Santana grumbled and buried her face further in the pillow. "Make it stop."

"I would if I knew where it was coming from," Brittany said.

Santana lifted her head in shock, wincing immediately. She turned her head slowly to look at Brittany with wide eyes. "Britt?"

"Yeah. Just turn it off, please," Brittany begged.

Santana got out of whatever daze she was in and turned over to look for the alarm. She ended up crawling onto the floor and finding her phone, turning the alarm off.

"Fuck," she muttered, climbing back up onto the bed. "Remind me why I thought it was a good idea to go out drinking until the wee hours of the morning when I had to work the next day?"

"You're really going to work?" Brittany asked with surprise and pity.

Santana groaned. "I don't think I can. I feel like a truck ran over my head and I have horses stampeding in my stomach."

"Then you should probably go back to sleep. What time is it, anyway?"

"6:30," Santana answered.

"Seriously? We've only been asleep for like, three hours, San. Go back to sleep and take a sick day or something," Brittany muttered, closing her eyes and throwing her arm over them.

"Mmkay," Santana mumbled, settling back down in the bed.

The next thing Brittany knew she was opening her eyes to a sunlit room. Her head was still pounding, but her stomach felt a little better. She turned her head to find Santana peacefully asleep. The Latina's face was relaxed, her lips slightly parted. Her mascara was smudged, giving her raccoon eyes, and she had some pillow creases on her face. But Brittany couldn't help but think that she was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

At least the little tug in her chest was screaming that at her. It was also screaming that she should kiss Santana. But she ignored that part.

She watched Santana for a few minutes, resisting the temptation to trace her features with her fingertips. At least until a lock of hair fell in Santana's face, blocking Brittany's view. She bit her lip and tentatively reached out, gently pushing the hair back. It must have tickled, because Santana's nose scrunched up a little, and Brittany thought it was the most adorable thing she had ever seen. But Santana seemed to be waking up from it, so Brittany snatched her hand back.

Santana's eyes blinked open slowly, and she gave Brittany a little smile. "Hey," she said, her voice even more raspy than usual. It sent shivers down Brittany's spine and arousal straight between her legs.

"Hi," Brittany croaked back. She took her lower lip in between her teeth, fighting off a giant smile at how insanely cute Santana was waking up.

"Hmmm, what time is it?"

"I don't know. I think my phone was left somewhere in the living room with my purse."

Santana nodded. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I drank way too much last night," Brittany said.

Santana chuckled. "Me, too. You want some Tylenol and some water?"

"I would love some," Brittany begged.

"How about breakfast?"

She thought about it for a moment. "I think I could eat a little. But, maybe like some toast or pancakes or something."

"Pancakes coming up."

Santana groaned a little as she sat up and moved very slowly as she got out of bed. She grabbed some clothes out of her dresser and threw some on the bed for Brittany. Then she shuffled toward the bathroom. Brittany could swear she heard a little squeal from Santana in the closed bathroom, and it made her giggle a little. She could only imagine that the other woman was reacting to her just woken up look.

She grabbed the clothes that Santana had left for her, and changed out of her dress into the shorts and t-shirt. She had finished folding up her dress when Santana came back into the bedroom, looking much more put together with a washed face and wearing a pair of yoga pants and an old cheerleading shirt. She had a bottle of water in one hand and a bottle of Tylenol in the other.

"Here you go," she said, handing the items over. "You can get freshened up in the bathroom if you want. I will go start on the pancakes."

"Thanks, San."

Santana nodded and went back out of the room. Brittany took a couple of tablets and guzzled half of the bottle of water. She hoped that rehydrating herself would make the headache go away pretty quickly. She headed into the bathroom and almost gave a squeal of her own as she saw her face. Her make-up was smeared and she looked like she had two black eyes. Her hair looked like a rat had nested in it, and she looked like a zombie.

After scrubbing her face clean and taking the rest of her hair down and running a brush through it, she brushed her teeth and headed out to the living room. She located her purse and dug out her phone. It was just after noon now, and she had missed a couple of texts from Quinn and one from Rachel asking if she had gotten home okay last night.

She texted Rachel back that she had crashed at Santana's and replied to Quinn, saying that she had gone out last night to celebrate. Then she followed her nose into the kitchen where a pot of coffee was finishing brewing and Santana was putting pancake batter onto a skillet.

"Mugs?"

Santana turned to her and her eyes trailed over Brittany's bare legs before snapping back up to her face. She pointed to a cabinet and turned back to her pancakes. Brittany got out two mugs and filled them with the coffee. She went to the fridge and pulled out the French vanilla creamer Santana had and added some to both mugs. Then she took both mugs to the table and set them down.

Santana piled pancakes on two plates and brought them to the table. Brittany went to the silverware drawer and pulled out two forks while Santana got the syrup and butter. They both sat down at the table and dug into their brunch.

"These are really good."

"Thanks," Santana said, swallowing some coffee. "It's just pancakes though."

"I have never had anyone make me pancakes other than my mom and Quinn, so I think they are pretty amazing," Brittany complimented.

Santana looked at her with a hint of surprise before she smiled shyly. "Well, you're welcome."

They ate in silence for a few more minutes before Santana spoke again.

"So, I think I remember everything from last night, but… um- we didn't like, kiss or anything last night, right?"

Brittany couldn't hold back her laugh at Santana's awkwardness. Santana scowled at her, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. Brittany forced herself to stop laughing, but was still smiling when she answered.

"No. You didn't think it was safe for me to go home alone after I walked you home, so you told me to stay. You just kind of crashed on your bed and told me to sleep in there, too. And we just fell asleep, that's it."

Santana let out a sigh of relief. Brittany understood it, though it did kind of hurt at the same time.

"That's what I thought. I just wanted to make sure," Santana said.

Santana picked her fork back up and cut off a bite of her pancakes.

"I just want to say thank you for letting me stay last night. It was probably best that I didn't go home by myself, so thanks for making sure I was okay," Brittany said.

"It's no problem. I definitely didn't want anything happening to you, and I felt much better with you staying here than trying to catch a cab or something back to your apartment," Santana said a little shyly.

Brittany was unsure if she should continue with what she wanted to say. She really liked being around Santana like this again. She had missed this.

"I just…" she began. "I want to say that I really like this. Being here with you and all."

Santana's eyes widened and Brittany could see the hint of redness on her cheeks. "Britt, I-"

She realized her mistake immediately. "No, not like that. I just meant that I missed being friends with you and hanging out like we were before. I missed being able to talk to you and go out without worrying about things being awkward." She sighed, putting her hands down on the table as she looked at Santana. "Look, I'm really sorry for bringing up going out on a date and trying to kiss you before. It screwed everything up between us, and I just want to go back to the way things were."

Santana's brow furrowed a little and she looked down at her plate. "I missed hanging out with you, too. And I am so sorry for kissing you. I know it was what really screwed everything up between us. You're not to blame, Britt. I am."

"No, you aren't. It isn't a great situation, but we can get through it if we try."

Santana nodded, looking back up to Brittany tentatively. She had a look in her eyes that made Brittany's heart beat a little faster, though she wasn't sure why.

"Sooooo… friends?" Brittany asked, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Santana's lips quirked up. "Friends," she confirmed.

Brittany grinned happily, glad that they were finally getting back to being to that comfortable place they were at before everything went sideways with the kiss. She felt like things could end up being a lot better now. Friends with Santana was definitely a major improvement.

 **A/N: So Brittany is pretty positive now that Rachel is pushing for her and Santana to be together. Do you think she will listen to Rachel and not give up on Santana?**

 **And the girls are moving toward a better situation. Being able to hang out and losing the awkwardness between them will make them more comfortable. Which could only lead to more feelings, right? What do you guys think about Brittany landing the role? Good? Bad? And will it help bring them closer or will it just put that much more stress on Santana to keep Brittany at arm's length since she is her client?**

 **What about their fun night of dancing and drinking? Do you think Santana is letting loose a bit more and going along with her heart instead of her head? How much longer can she deny her heart?**

 **Any other thoughts or comments?**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"So what's going on with you and Brittany?"

Santana looked up from her menu with wide eyes at Rachel. They had decided to meet for lunch since Rachel was off and Santana really wanted to get out of the office. So they were at a little Italian place near the agency, and it appeared that Rachel wasn't even going to let them get an order in before getting down to business.

"What do you mean?" Santana asked, hoping that she wasn't coming off as being in a panic.

Rachel gave her an innocent shrug. "It's just that you guys have been hanging out a lot over the past couple of weeks. It was like you guys went from barely talking to being best friends overnight and getting together like every day. I just thought it was a little weird."

Santana understood Rachel's confusion. After clearing up their issues and agreeing to be friends again, everything had gotten back on track between her and Brittany. They talked all of the time, and usually ended up seeing each other nearly every day.

It really picked up after the filming started on Brittany's guest spot. The blonde had called Santana gushing about the day and how amazing everything was, and Santana asked if she wanted to go out to dinner to talk about it. Brittany had seemed a little surprised at the offer. To be honest, Santana was a little surprised herself. She just thought that it would be nice to see Brittany's excitement in person. And hear all about her day over a little celebration.

And so it began. That first dinner turned into an almost routine. They would hang out every night after filming, and once the week of shooting was up for Brittany's part, it just kind of continued. Three weeks after deciding to be friends again, they were closer than ever.

"Well, we talked and got our issues sorted out," Santana told Rachel. "We decided that starting over as friends was a good idea, and we just started hanging out."

Rachel scrutinized her momentarily, and Santana fought not to squirm under her gaze.

"Are you okay with just being friends?"

Santana rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yes, Berry. All we are and all we can be is friends. Okay?"

Rachel set her menu aside and leaned toward Santana a little, a concerned look on her face. "I am just worried about you, Santana. You're my best friend and I don't want you getting hurt."

"I'm fine, Rach. I promise," Santana said softly, grateful that her friend cared so much about her.

"How are things going between you? I mean, with your feelings for her and everything?"

Santana took in a sharp breath, a little surprised that Rachel actually mentioned that right now. She closed her menu and plopped it down on the table in front of her.

"Seriously? I tell you that I am okay being friends with her and you want to keep digging into the fact that I have feelings for her? We are supposed to be having a nice lunch out, not stripping down my emotions," Santana scoffed.

Rachel flinched a little at Santana's harsh tone, but didn't back down. "I know you really care about Brittany. And with you being around her all of the time, I just worry about you falling in love with her when you know it can't work out."

Santana opened her mouth to reply, her heart thudding uncomfortably hard at the word _love_ , but Rachel cut her off. "I would love to see you two together, because I can see how happy you guys make each other. But if you really can't have that kind of a relationship, then I am a little scared by how much time you spend together because you can't just shut off your feelings like that. They will continue to grow until you can't stand it anymore, and then it will all come crashing down on you."

Santana felt miserable. Because Rachel was right. Her feelings for Brittany had grown over the past few weeks. So much so that she counted down the hours and minutes until she could see the blonde again. She loved seeing her smile and hear her laughter. She loved being in the same room with her and just talking or sitting in silence watching a movie or something. And Santana was terrified that she was actually starting to fall in love with Brittany.

Rachel was right about it all. Santana knew that Rachel understood what it was like, because she had been through it before.

"Are you talking about you and Finn?" Santana asked gently.

Rachel sat back and put her arms around herself protectively. Her eyes shone a little with tears, and Santana's heart nearly broke for her when she nodded.

"Yeah, I am," Rachel said quietly. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath through her nose. "I knew I wasn't supposed to want to be with him. I knew we couldn't be together, because he had a girlfriend. But the more time we spent together in glee club, and the more time I arranged for us to spend together, the more my feelings for him grew. And so did his feelings for me. And it got to the point where we couldn't hold back anymore, and we just ended up hurting a lot of people. Well, mostly I hurt a lot of people, but… it just wasn't a good situation."

Santana got up from her seat and moved around the table to pull Rachel into a hug. She usually wasn't the one to initiate this kind of contact between them, but she never hesitated when she knew Rachel needed her. Rachel wrapped her arms around Santana tightly and sniffled into her shoulder. Santana rubbed her back soothingly.

"I know. I know," she cooed softly.

After a couple of minutes, Rachel pulled back and wiped the tear tracks off of her cheeks. She gave Santana a grateful smile, and Santana returned it before she went back to her chair.

"I just don't want to see the same thing happen to you," Rachel said after she took a drink of her water.

"But you and Finn were meant to be together," Santana said. She wasn't even sure why she said it. If it was justification for Rachel and Finn's actions and the results of their feelings for one another. Or if it was justification for her own situation with Brittany. Or maybe a little bit of both.

Rachel took a deep breath before letting it out on a sigh. "I always thought so. And I liked to think that. But sometimes I wonder if it was only my stubbornness that got us together," she laughed a little. "I think if we were supposed to be together, then he would still be alive, you know?"

Santana was prepared for another breakdown, but Rachel seemed to be holding it together. She reached over the table to put her hand on Rachel's.

"From what you and Kurt have told me about your relationship, I think you were meant to be together," she said honestly. "Maybe he wasn't meant to be your forever, but he was meant to be your great love."

Rachel gave a teary smile at that. "I think you're right."

"I'm Santana Lopez. Of course I'm right," Santana teased, trying to lighten the mood.

She was relieved when Rachel laughed and rolled her eyes. It had taken years, but Rachel had gotten over Finn's tragic death. There were still times, though, when Rachel would get really sad and miss him. She knew that Rachel was still trying to get over him in a way, even though she had dated since then. She just couldn't imagine having to go through losing the love of her life like that.

"Oh, shut up," Rachel said playfully.

And like that, Santana knew that things were back to normal. Their server came over shortly to take their order, and their conversation turned to more safe topics, such as Rachel's upcoming auditions and Kurt's date with the guy they had met at the club the night they had all gone out to celebrate Brittany getting that job.

When they were just finishing, Santana got a call from one of her other clients who was having a crisis over what outfit she should wear to her audition the next day. Santana promised she would be over there shortly and said goodbye to Rachel before heading over to deal with her panicked client.

On her way, she thought about what Rachel had said about her and Brittany getting too close. Santana understood Rachel's reasoning, but it was too late now. Not only would Santana break Brittany's heart by backing away from their friendship, she would be breaking her own. She was too attached to Brittany already, and she really enjoyed their time together.

And as Santana's feelings had already grown, she honestly didn't know how she could cut Brittany out of her life. If shit hit the fan, she would deal with it then. In the meantime, she would continue to enjoy hanging out with her favorite blonde.

Santana dealt with another blonde when she got to her client's apartment. She knew it wasn't really a clothing crisis and more of a crisis of nerves, so she soothed the woman and assured her by being calm and confident. She also picked out a killer outfit, one which was sure to wow any man (or sapphically inclined woman) and make any woman (or fashion loving gay man) admire her.

After that, she headed back to the office. She had gotten a couple of texts from Brittany throughout the day. Brittany had an audition for a small play this morning, and she had texted Santana to let her know that she thought it went well but she wasn't sure it was something she really wanted to do. Other than that, they were just letting each other know how their days were going and how they were looking forward to watching movies at Santana's place tonight.

The rest of Santana's day was pretty easy. She only had a couple of calls to make to some casting directors and contacts she had to put out feelers for possible roles for any of her clients. But before she was getting ready to leave for the day, she got an interesting phone call from a producer. She was pleasantly surprised by what he had to say, and she had some potentially great news to share.

Santana went home and showered before changing into some yoga pants and a tank top. She dried her hair so it didn't turn into a giant lion's mane before she pulled it back into a messy ponytail. It was an agreement between her and Brittany that anytime they hung out for movies at each other's apartments they would only wear comfortable clothing so they could fully relax. There had even been a couple of times when they fell asleep and just spent the night at whoever's apartment they were at, so not being in work clothes helped a lot.

Brittany texted to let her know that she was on her way and picking up dinner. They had agreed on Thai food earlier, and Brittany said she would get it as long as Santana provided the wine. This was another thing they usually did. One of them would pay for dinner while the other one would supply the alcohol. After Brittany found out that Santana paid a nice chunk of change for her prescription after her mugging, she insisted that they split things evenly from now on. Santana knew that is what friends would agree to, so she conceded.

Santana's phone started ringing. Thinking it was probably Brittany, she didn't look at the display before she picked up.

"Hello, mija," her mother's voice greeted her, making Santana curse herself silently. "How come you never call your parents?"

"Sorry, mami," Santana sighed an apology. "Things have just been really busy with work. Rachel has been doing a big play and I got a couple of new clients."

"Santana, I don't want to hear excuses. I'm sure your clients find the time to call their parents, am I right?"

Santana sat on her couch heavily. "Yes, mami."

"So how are things going?" Maribel asked, her voice softening as she showed genuine interest.

"They're going pretty well. Work is good, although I hate the agency sometimes. I have some pretty great clients and have been negotiating some great deals for them, which is good for me," she said with pride.

"That's good. I'm glad to hear your work is going well for you. You do a great job, and your papi and I are proud of you," Maribel said. "But how are things with you besides work? Anything new? Are you dating anyone?"

And this was what Santana was dreading. She pinched the bridge of her nose, frustrated with having to try to have this conversation with her mother.

"No, I'm not dating anyone right now. Work keeps me really busy, so I don't really get the chance to meet any good dating prospects," she lied.

"Santana," her mother sighed, "you can't keep putting off your own happiness. You need a life outside work. And I don't mean just hanging out with that annoying woman and your gay friend. You need someone to fall in love with."

Santana beat her head off the back of the couch at her mother's words. This was why she was still afraid to come out. Her mother's insistence of butting into her love life and the fact that she referred to Kurt, whom she had first met nearly four years ago, as Santana's 'gay friend' made her scared that telling her parents she was a lesbian would not be good for her.

"Well, I don't just hang out with Rachel and Kurt, mami. In fact, I have plans tonight," Santana said, then immediately regretted it.

"Really? With who? Is it a date?"

"No, it isn't a date," Santana groaned. "My friend Brittany is coming over to eat dinner and watch some movies."

"Who is this Brittany? I've never heard of her before," Maribel said suspiciously.

"She is a friend of Rachel's who recently moved to the city. She is actually a client of mine, too. She is really sweet and funny and fun, and we just kind of hit it off," Santana unknowingly gushed.

Her mother was silent for a moment, making Santana wonder what she had said. She was just about to start panicking when her mother spoke again.

"She sounds really nice," Maribel said kindly. "Maybe your papi and I can meet her when we come visit again."

Santana got nervous about the thought of her parents and Brittany meeting. She wasn't sure she would be able to hide her feelings about the woman, even in front of her parents.

"Maybe," she said noncommittally. "But I should probably go since she will be here any minute."

"Okay, mija," Maribel said. "Just try and call us a little more often, please. And your abuela as well. She was asking about you the other day."

Santana felt guilty about that, since she had been really close to her grandmother growing up. "I will. I love you."

"I love you, too, Santanita," her mother said.

Santana hung up the phone just as there was a knock on her door. She felt herself getting almost giddy at the thought of who was on the other side of the door. She pulled it open, a smile already spreading across her face before Brittany even came fully into view.

"Hey, San," Brittany greeted, leaning in for a one-armed hug.

Santana was usually not very touch-feely with people, but Brittany was different. She couldn't resist it with her. So she returned the hug with one arm herself, grabbing the bag of food from Brittany's hand that wasn't currently wrapped around her.

Hi, Brittany," she replied, pulling back and taking the bag of food with her. She took in Brittany's short cheerleading shorts and baggy t-shirt and blonde hair pulled up into a messy bun, and she had to turn quickly to avoid embarrassing herself from staring too long.

Brittany followed her into the apartment, and Santana shut the door behind the blonde. She headed toward the kitchen and Brittany followed behind.

"Thanks for getting the food," Santana said.

"No problem."

Santana set the bag on the counter before pulling down some plates from the cupboard. Brittany started pulling containers out of the bag and Santana got out a couple of bottles of wine. She opened one and retrieved two wine glasses before filling them up and handing one to Brittany.

Brittany smiled in gratitude before taking a sip, and Santana followed suit. They went about getting their food on their plates, Santana opting for the Pad Thai and Brittany for some fried rice with chicken. As was their custom on movie nights, they took the food into the living room to eat on the couch.

Santana set her plate and wine glass on the coffee table as she sat down on the couch.

"So, Netflix or a DVD?" Santana asked as she picked up the remote to turn the television on.

"Netflix, please," Brittany said around a bite of food.

"Hungry?" Santana asked, amused.

Brittany nodded enthusiastically as she swallowed. "I danced for a couple of hours today after the audition. I am starving, and this food just smelled so good the whole way over here."

Santana laughed. "Well then, eat up."

She pulled up Netflix on her TV and started scrolling through the selections. She didn't see much of anything she wanted to watch, and she told Brittany to let her know if she saw anything good.

"Oh, wait!" Brittany exclaimed, making Santana stop flipping through the selections immediately. "Let's watch The Goonies!"

"Where is it?" Santana asked, not having seen that on the screen.

"Scroll over a couple to the right," Brittany directed.

Sure enough, there it was. Santana hadn't seen this movie in years, and she definitely would enjoy watching the antics of Chunk, Sloth, and all the rest.

"The Goonies it is," Santana said as she pressed play.

She grabbed her plate and started eating, her eyes rolling back a little at the delicious taste hitting her tongue. They ate in relative silence, enjoying their food and wine and the movie, as well as each other's company.

Santana paused the movie about halfway in to pick up their empty plates and to get the wine bottle to refill their glasses. She came back to an empty living room. Figuring Brittany had to go to the bathroom, she just went ahead and refilled the glasses, set the bottle down on the coffee table, and sat back down to wait for Brittany.

Brittany came in shortly afterward and plopped down on the couch. She stretched out, setting her feet on Santana's lap which was something that had come common between them as well.

"Sorry, I had to pee," she explained.

Santana just nodded in acknowledgement, already taking Brittany's feet in her hands to start massaging them. The blonde groaned in appreciation, making Santana smile.

"Feel good?"

"God, yes," Brittany moaned, sending a shot of arousal through Santana. She inhaled sharply, but thankfully Brittany was too blissed out to notice it. "That audition kind of stressed me out today, so I danced a little harder than I would normally have afterwards."

Santana frowned a little hearing that. "I'm sorry it stressed you out, but if it isn't something you want to do, then just don't worry about it. If you get it, we can turn it down," she said. Brittany nodded and closed her eyes, relaxing further. "But, speaking of the audition… I kind of have some news for you."

Brittany's eyes opened immediately to guardedly ask, "What news?"

Santana stopped massaging Brittany's feet to put her full attention on the other woman. "One of the producers from 'House Rulez' called me today. He said that he saw your performance on the episode you filmed, which is airing next month by the way, and he absolutely loved you. He said that he heard nothing but good things about you and heard that you were a dancer, which was why he called me."

Santana paused, causing Brittany to prompt her with a hand wave for more information. Santana smiled at her impatience.

"He said that he has a new show in development. It is about a group of kids at a performing arts high school, and he is looking for a young woman to be one of the dance teachers on the show. He asked me if you would be interested in auditioning," Santana finished explaining.

Brittany sat up abruptly, pulling her feet off of Santana's lap. "Are you serious?"

Santana grinned, nodding an affirmative.

"Oh my God! Yes, absolutely! I hope you told him yes," she exclaimed.

Santana chuckled and rolled her eyes a little. "Of course I told him yes. I knew that you would jump at the chance to combine acting and dancing together, so I said that as soon as he knows when casting will begin to give me a call so I can get you there."

"Thank you! You are the best!" Brittany enthused, launching herself at Santana and pulling her in for a tight hug.

Santana let out a surprised laugh, but wrapped her arms around the woman and sank into Brittany's warm body. She rested her chin on Brittany's shoulder and couldn't resist from turning her face slightly into her neck to breathe in her scent. Santana tightened her arms around Brittany's shoulders briefly before she knew that she needed to let go before the hug became inappropriately long.

Santana relaxed her arms and started to pull back, but Brittany didn't let her go all the way. Suddenly, she realized that their faces were merely inches apart, their breaths starting to mingle as Brittany's eyes locked with her own. Her heart stopped dead in her chest, only to pick back up in a rhythm much faster than normal. Her stomach filled with butterflies as Brittany's eyes darted down to her mouth.

Her lips parted as she inhaled sharply, her breathing picking up to match the pace of her racing heart. Brittany looked back up into her eyes, her blue gaze many shades darker than usual. Santana could feel herself leaning closer to Brittany, her eyes starting to close automatically as she began to anticipate Brittany's lips on her own.

Suddenly, the heat from Brittany's proximity disappeared, leaving Santana alarmingly cold and making her eyes shoot fully open.

"I'm sorry," Brittany apologized, her face flushed red with, Santana suspected, a mixture of embarrassment and lust. "I shouldn't have… I know we can't."

Santana shook her head to clear it, but her mind wouldn't get off of the beautiful woman who usually occupied her thoughts.

Brittany looked down at her lap. "I'm sorry," she said more quietly, making Santana realize that she misunderstood her headshake.

"No," she began, and Brittany started to scoot further away from her on the couch.

She reached her hand out to grasp her wrist and stop her, realizing now that this was inevitable. Brittany looked back up at her, a little bit of confusion in her eyes, and Santana's chest filled with something she couldn't quite name. She knew that the next words out of her mouth would change everything.

"Go out with me."

Brittany just looked at her, unsure as to what she was trying to say. "What?"

Santana scooted closer to her on the couch, taking both of her hands in her own. She was nervous as hell, though she didn't really even know why. She looked deeply into Brittany's beautiful blue eyes and saw the slightest glimmer of hope in them, helping to calm her nerves somewhat.

"Would you go out on a date with me?" Santana was proud that her voice didn't shake much during this monumental moment. The moment she finally took a chance and opened herself up to the possibility of so many things. A relationship, heartbreak, rejection, love… oh, God! Love?

Brittany's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in surprise. Santana's heart was about to jump out of her chest as she waited for Brittany's response. She watched as Brittany's face slowly morphed from shock to pleasant surprise, and then, finally, happiness.

"Are you serious?" Brittany asked, her voice tremulous. "But what about the contract and your work?"

"I'm so serious," Santana stated, tightening her grip on Brittany's hands for emphasis. "I've realized that I can't keep putting aside my feelings for you, and it isn't fair to either of us to try to deny what we could be. I know it is against the contract, and I could lose my job or even worse, but… I am willing to risk everything for a chance with you, Brittany."

Brittany's mouth turned slowly into a grin, her eyes shining with the glimmer of tears. She pulled her hands out of Santana's only to launch herself again at Santana, wrapping her arms so tightly around her that Santana felt like she could melt into the blonde and they could become one. Santana wrapped her arms around Brittany's back, feeling both terrified and elated and settled all at the same time, though she wasn't sure how it was possible.

"So, just to be clear… was that a yes?" Santana asked, just wanting to be sure she was reading Brittany's reaction correctly.

Brittany pulled back to look at her, her grin threatening to split her face as she nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Yes, absolutely yes!"

Santana's face almost hurt as her grin took over. "Really?"

Brittany nodded again, causing Santana's elation to grow. She brought her hands up to cup Brittany's face, delighting in the fact that she could do it now. She pushed the thought out of her head that she technically shouldn't be doing it. This was the time for happiness.

She caressed Brittany's cheeks with her thumbs and their grins softened into gentle smiles.

"I really want to kiss you right now," Santana said, her eyes searching Brittany's.

"Please," Brittany said.

Santana couldn't refuse. She closed the distance between them, her eyes still looking into Brittany's as they got closer. She held her lips just a mere inch away, giving Brittany time to change her mind. When she fluttered her eyes closed in response, waiting for Santana's kiss, Santana let her lips softly press against Brittany's.

It was even better than she remembered. It was a gentle kiss, and Santana kissed her once, twice, and on the third time she pressed a little harder, a little hungrier. Brittany eagerly kissed her back, and Santana fought to keep from deepening it. She didn't want to go too far too fast. She wasn't ready for it. She didn't think either of them were ready for it.

She reluctantly pulled back, her eyes slowly opened to find Brittany looking at her with wonder.

"Is this really happening?" Brittany asked quietly, as if she were afraid she were dreaming and speaking too loudly would wake her.

Santana smiled and caressed her cheek again. "It is," she promised.

Brittany leaned into her, resting her head against Santana's shoulder. Santana leaned back into the couch, bringing her with so Brittany was cuddled up with her, nearly laying on top of Santana's body. She hit play on the movie again and they relaxed into each other, content in the way the evening had turned out.

 **A/N: So lots of things happened this chapter. Rachel. Mama Lopez. Brittany's promising career. Oh, and THEY ARE GONNA GO OUT ON A DATE!**

 **Who all was ready for that? Lol**

 **So I am just gonna leave that here for your enjoyment and walk away. Can't wait to hear what you guys think :)**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Brittany was the happiest she could remember being in a long time. Things with Santana had been going great. They had been hanging out for several weeks and talking more, and their friendship was doing really well.

But the fact that Santana had kissed her and asked her out on a date earlier this week was what had her deliriously happy. She had been floating on a cloud ever since then. She had been worried a little that Santana wouldn't follow through with the date plans, but it was the very next day when Santana texted her told her that she would pick her up at 6 o'clock Friday night. Brittany squealed and did a happy dance in her bedroom.

Her parents and Quinn had noticed a difference in their conversations. She had apparently not quite sounded like her normally bubbly self for several weeks. But since she and Santana had gotten closer, she had gotten happier. And it was after plans were made for a date that she sounded happier, too.

Naturally she couldn't explain to anyone that the real reason why she was in a better mood was because she had a date with the most beautiful and amazing woman she had ever met. So she just told them that she had the promise of an audition for a featured role on a brand new show about a performance school, and they were excited for her.

Brittany would do whatever it took to help get a romantic relationship with Santana off the ground. If that meant lying to people and sneaking around, then she would do it. Especially since she didn't want Santana to lose her job or anything because of her.

She was just so grateful that Santana was willing to give them a chance. She would have learned to live with being just friends. She would have been okay helping Santana get through her fears about coming out. But the fact that Santana was going to risk everything to try a relationship with Brittany was more than Brittany had ever imagined after all that had happened.

Rachel could tell that something was up. Every time Brittany had talked to Rachel over the past few days, the other woman brought up Santana's happiness and how good of a mood Brittany seemed to be in. Rachel still never came right out and said anything, but Brittany could tell that she approved of the direction things were going. Even if it was only friendship Rachel was thinking of, it was a good thing for Santana in Rachel's opinion.

But Brittany was so excited at the moment because it was getting close to the time for their date. Santana wasn't giving her any clues on where they were going or what they were doing. She just told her to be ready at six. She wouldn't even tell Brittany any clues on what she should wear, so Brittany kept bugging her with outfit ideas until Santana told her that a nice dress and heels would be fine. That at least gave Brittany an idea that they would be going somewhere nice and not like the movies or something. At least, she didn't think so.

Brittany was just about to get in the shower when her phone chimed with a text message notification. She almost ignored it, thinking it was probably Quinn, but she suddenly had a fear that it was Santana cancelling on her. So she picked it up.

Her heart pounded for a moment when she saw that it was indeed Santana who had texted her.

 _I can't wait to see you- Santana_

Brittany's cheeks hurt with the force of the grin that took over her face and her stomach did a couple cartwheels in her belly. But in a good way. Not the kind that made her feel sick, but the kind that made her feel all giddy.

 _I can't wait to see you either!- Brittany_

She sent her reply, her smile not fading as the thought of Santana being excited for their date made her even more excited than she already was to begin with. Santana was looking forward to tonight. Santana was not going to back out. Brittany felt like this was going to be like the best day ever. Even better than the day that Lord Tubbington quit smoking.

Her phone chimed again with another text.

 _Is it weird that I have never been more excited for a date before?- Santana_

Brittany's grin widened impossibly before her smile softened as she thought about how this must be the first time that Santana actually really looked forward to a date since it was her first date with a woman. This was actually a huge night for Santana. For the both of them, since Brittany had never gone out with a woman before either. Or gone out with someone she felt this strongly about this quickly.

 _No. I feel the same way- Brittany_

She could picture Santana's smile. It would start small because Santana would try to fight it. But she wouldn't be able to, and it would slowly take over her face until her dimples showed and her eyes lit up. Santana smiled that smile when she was really happy. Brittany had seen it a few times, and it about made her heart stop every time.

She was broken out of her thoughts by her phone going off again.

 _:) I need to get ready, but I will see you soon!- Santana_

Brittany was convinced that her face was going to get stuck with a smile on it after tonight.

 _Yay!- Brittany_

She set her phone back down and proceeded to get undressed for her shower. She had never been this anxious before a date. Both nervous because of something going wrong and just general nerves before something big, and also excited because it was a date with Santana. It was a powerful mix of emotions that made her a little dizzy. But it was worth it.

She showered quickly and dried off. She put on her favorite coconut scented lotion and then slipped on the dark green sleeveless dress she picked out. It was classy enough for if they went somewhere really fancy, but fashionable enough if they went out to a club or something. She dried her hair and twisted it up into a low bun, letting some tendrils frame her face. Then she did her make-up, emphasizing her eyes to make them stand out. She checked the time and saw that she had ten minutes until six, so she put on the finishing touches, which included a pair of dangly earrings with green stones and then a pair of black heels.

It was five to six when there was a knock on her door. Her heart skipped a couple of beats and her tummy flipped when she heard it, and she could feel another smile coming on. She grabbed her bag and threw her phone in it and headed to the door. She pulled it open and her smile disappeared as her mouth dropped open in a little 'o'.

Santana looked amazing. Like, seriously the most amazing thing she had ever seen in her life. She was wearing a black, sleeveless, v-neck dress that ended just below her knees. There was a small slit in the skirt that allowed for a tantalizing glimpse of her thigh. Her legs looked amazing in her red heels and her hair was pulled back in a pretty twist that made her look like a movie star from the forties or fifties. Her lips were bright red and her dark eyes were accented by her make-up, and all Brittany could think about was how this woman should be posing in magazines and somehow she was taking her out on a date.

"Brittany," Santana breathed, "you look gorgeous."

Brittany snapped herself out of her daze and looked sincerely into Santana's eyes, her smile finally making an appearance. "You look beyond beautiful, Santana," she complimented. "I don't even have the right words."

Santana bit her lip on a smile and looked bashfully down at the floor, and Brittany could swear that Santana just kept surprising her with how adorable she could be. All she wanted to do at the moment was take Santana's face in her hands and kiss her senseless to make her understand how much she made Brittany feel.

But it was only the beginning of their date and they hadn't even made it out of her building yet. That could wait until later. At least she hoped it would happen later.

"You are so cute," Brittany said instead, unable to keep that in.

That made Santana look back up at her and roll her eyes a little, this time letting her smile show. "So I go from beautiful to cute? Somehow I feel as if that is a backslide," she commented teasingly.

Brittany shook her head. "Not in the slightest," she said adamantly. "Besides, you can be both beautiful and cute at the same time."

Santana chuckled and gave a little headshake. "Come on, Britt. We should probably get going before you start wanting to pinch my cheeks or something," she joked.

"Well, I would but that's kind of an end of date thing," Brittany teased with a wink and a smirk.

Santana's eyes widened briefly and she coughed for a moment, her cheeks tinting a little before she laughed. She just shook her head and Brittany laughed with her, heading out of the apartment and closing and locking the door behind her.

They headed down the elevator, stealing glances at each other. Each time one caught the other one looking, they would just smile before glancing away and starting all over again. Santana led the way out of the building and, to Brittany's surprise, walked up to a red, sporty looking car. She hit a button to unlock it, making the lights flash, and opened the passenger door for Brittany.

"You have a car?" Brittany asked, surprise evident on her face.

Santana smiled playfully at her. "Yep."

"How come I didn't know this?"

Santana shrugged. "I don't really drive it unless I need to. Like, if I am going out of the city or if I need to transport something."

"Well, it's sexy," Brittany said, her voice a little low and husky. It was the truth. The image of Santana driving this sleek machine gave her a low burn in her belly. She had never thought of cars or people driving cars as sexy before. But she thought that Santana doing anything was pretty much guaranteed to be sexy.

Santana grinned at her and motioned for her to get in the car. Brittany grinned back and complied, her eyes meeting the other woman's and making her freeze as her butt hit the seat. They just stared at each other for several long seconds, their eyes darkened as they communicated their feelings silently. Brittany's heart was pounding in her chest. She could practically feel the desire and the deeper feelings Santana had for her just through her eyes.

Santana seemed to snap out of her daze first. She cleared her throat and her eyes darted away from Brittany's. That allowed Brittany's heart to start getting back to a normal rhythm. She slid her legs into the car and Santana closed the door before she went over to the driver's side and got in.

"So, where are we going?" Brittany asked, breaking the tension between them and trying to get back to more of a comfortable place with them. One where they weren't ready to kiss each other's faces off.

Santana started the car and turned to her with a cheeky smile. "You will have to wait and see, Britt."

Brittany pouted, really hoping that Santana would give in and tell her. Santana's smile faltered and her brow furrowed a little.

"No, that is not fair," she complained. "You can't pout to try to get it out of me."

Brittany bit her lip on a smile, knowing that if she really tried then she could convince Santana to tell her. But she kind of liked the idea of being surprised. Santana had obviously done a lot of planning for their date, and she didn't want to ruin it by forcing the brunette to spoil the surprise.

She huffed lightly, faking annoyance. "Fine, then. I guess I will have to be surprised."

Santana winked at her and then proceeded to put the car in gear and ease out into traffic. Brittany tried to pay attention to where they were going to see if she could figure out their destination, but she still didn't know the city all that well to even deduce where they were going. She was surprised when Santana got onto the interstate to head out of the city though.

She shot Santana a look, but Santana just smirked, her eyes still on the road. Santana instead took her right hand off of the wheel and laid it on the center console with her palm up. Brittany felt butterflies going crazy in her stomach and she slid her hand into Santana's, intertwining their fingers together. Her bright smile matched Santana's, and the brunette squeezed her hand lightly as she continued to drive. If Santana felt half as good as Brittany did just from holding her hand, then she knew that Santana felt pretty fucking amazing at the moment.

The radio was playing softly in the background. It was some old pop station or something. The music was soft and mellow and it was just perfect.

Santana drove for about twenty minutes on the interstate and then got off at an exit that seemed to be a more suburban area. She took her hand back, to Brittany's dismay, in order to navigate the streets. She finally pulled up to a small restaurant. There was parking across the street, so she found a spot and turned off the car.

"So here we are," she said as she turned to Brittany, her nerves starting to show.

"Where is here?" Brittany asked, smiling gently.

"Oh," she breathed on a laugh. "Um, it's this little restaurant I discovered awhile back. Nobody knows I've ever eaten here, but the food is really good. And it is out of the way and the owner is kind of a friend, so we will be able to have a quiet night."

Brittany nodded in understanding. "It sounds nice."

"Oh! And there's a dance floor with a live band," Santana added hurriedly.

Brittany grinned, loving the fact that Santana tried to plan a date that included one of Brittany's loves.

"That's perfect," she said. "As long as you'll dance with me."

Santana swallowed and looked at her lap before she nodded. Her eyes came back up to meet Brittany's and she looked so happy and open at the moment that it took Brittany's breath away.

"Of course," she told Brittany, and Brittany knew at that moment that this night was going to be the best night of her life so far.

Santana opened her door and slid out. Brittany did the same, causing Santana to frown a little as she was apparently walking around the car to open the door for her. It was so cute, but Brittany didn't want her to be upset by anything. So she shut her door and stepped to Santana. She put her hand on the inside of Santana's arm and slid it down until her hand found the other woman's. She slipped her fingers between the brunette's and Santana's fingers wrapped around her hand. Santana's smile was so beautiful and Brittany knew she had done the right thing.

She led Brittany, hands still clasped, across the street to the front door of the restaurant. Brittany noticed a bright sign in the window that proclaimed the establishment as Sal's. She could smell marinara and garlic, and her stomach made its hunger known.

Santana opened the door and led her into the restaurant, which was pretty crowded. It seemed to be more of a family place, and the tables had those plastic type of red and white checkered tablecloths on top of them, which made Brittany somehow happier to see. This place was not the fancy type of restaurant one would have expected Santana to frequent for a date, so this place must mean something to her. As Santana had promised, there was a group of older men on a small stage playing some light jazz and a little wooden dance floor. There were a few couples dancing, but most people were concentrating on eating their dinners, which looked absolutely amazing.

Santana walked up to the hostess station and was just about to give her name when a man who appeared to be in his late forties dressed in a stained white chef's coat approached them.

"Santana," he greeted loudly and cheerfully, spreading his arms wide before wrapping the Latina up in an enthusiastic hug.

"Hi, Sal," Santana laughed, returning the embrace with one arm so she didn't have to stop holding Brittany's hand.

Sal let her go and stepped back, looking her over. His eyes landed on their clasped hands and his smile widened. His gaze turned to Brittany, and she noticed his dark eyes sparkling.

"So this is the special date you wanted me to prepare for tonight?" Sal asked, turning his attention back to Santana.

Brittany felt Santana's hand tighten a little in hers, she suspected from nerves, but she could tell that Sal was happy for her. And she thought Santana knew that, too.

"It is," she answered. "Sal, this is Brittany. Brittany, this is the man who makes the best pasta in New York."

Sal laughed loudly. "I don't know about that, but thanks. Now come on. I've got you set up in the corner over here."

He turned to lead them to their table, and they went to follow. The hostess gave them a friendly smile, and Brittany's hand squeezed Santana's reassuringly as they walked through the crowded restaurant, past the dance floor, and into a more secluded corner of the building. Santana was looking around nervously, but Brittany understood. This was a huge step out of the closet for her. She was letting another friend know about her sexuality and she was being open in a restaurant full of people. Brittany was so proud of her for taking this step.

Sal pulled out their chairs for them and got them seated, telling them to let him know if they need anything before he went to tell the hostess to bring them a couple of menus. Santana didn't really even bother perusing hers. Brittany, however, examined the offerings and her mouth was watering at the selection. She decided fairly quickly however, on the delicious sounding lasagna.

Their server came by and took their drink orders. Water and red wine for each of them. They went ahead and ordered their food since they were ready. Santana got spaghetti with a meat sauce.

"So how did you find this place?" Brittany asked once their server had left.

Santana seemed a little uncomfortable by the question.

"You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to," she quickly added, not wanting the Latina to do something she didn't want to.

Santana gave her a little smile and headshake. "No, it's okay. I don't mind. It was a few years ago, after a party in college. I was being hit on really strongly by some guy and I just couldn't get into it. I hadn't really had anything to drink, and I found myself wanting to watch this girl who was handing out drinks to people."

Brittany suspected where this was going. She wanted to reach over the table and take Santana's hand in hers, but she wasn't sure that she would allow it at the moment.

"I had always suspected, deep down, that I liked girls," she continued, her voice quiet. "I just never let myself recognize it. I would force myself to get with guys, and a lot of times that involved a lot of alcohol. But that night, for some reason, I just couldn't do it. And it finally hit me that I was a lesbian, and I couldn't fight it anymore."

Brittany looked into Santana's eyes, trying to convey how proud she was of Santana and how amazing she thought she was. Santana's eyes softened as she looked at her, and Brittany knew that her message had been received.

"I had to get away from that party, so I hurried back to my dorm room and packed a bag," Santana said, her voice a little stronger. "I got in my car and started to drive. I had every intention of going home so I could wallow and deal with my revelation, but then I realized that was the worst place to be because I wasn't ready for my parents to know. And they would have known something was wrong the instant I showed up. So I took the next exit and drove until I found a place I felt like I could sit and think. And that place ended up being here."

Santana held up her hands and indicated the restaurant around her. It made Brittany smile. Not only because Santana obviously had a strong connection to this place, but because she had shared that intimate story with her.

"So is the food really that good then that you kept coming back?" Brittany asked playfully.

Santana laughed. "The food is really good, but it is kind of out of the way to get a good plate of pasta." Her face sobered as she remembered. "No, it is Sal that brings me back. I was clearly upset and kind of out of it when I came in. I sat at the bar, though I was too young to drink and they knew it. I don't know if they told him or if he just came out on a break or what, but Sal came out and noticed me. He sat down next to me and just started talking to me. He didn't ask me what was wrong or anything like that. He just talked and brought me out a basket of garlic breadsticks on the house, which were delicious by the way. And it made me relax. I started to have a conversation with him and he made me laugh, and I just started feeling so much better. He helped me realize that I would be okay. And then he told me to come back whenever. And I did a few weeks later. He remembered me. Ever since then I made a point to come out every couple of months or so, and we have gotten closer over the years. It surprised me, but he never asked me what was the matter that night. But I think he might have a little bit of a clue now."

She finished on a smile, and Brittany felt her heart flutter. The desire to hold Santana's hand was so strong.

"I really want to hold your hand right now," she confessed.

Santana grinned. She looked around the restaurant to see if anyone was paying them any attention, and then she reached her right hand which was closest to the wall over the table. Brittany grinned happily back and extended her left hand to meet Santana's. She grasped the brunette's hand and squeezed it tightly. Santana looked so extremely happy in that moment, and it mirrored Brittany's happiness.

"I'm really happy you brought me here," Brittany said, squeezing Santana's hand.

"I'm really happy that I brought you here," Santana replied.

Their server came back to the table with their drinks, causing Santana to pull her hand back from Brittany's. Brittany was disappointed, but she knew that the other woman was still learning to be comfortable being out with a woman. So she didn't hold it against her. She would do whatever she needed to in order to make Santana comfortable.

"I'm sorry," Santana apologized sincerely once their server left again. "I just am trying to get used to this."

"No, it's okay." Santana looked at her like she didn't believe her, so she had to convince her. "Really, it is. I would hold your hand under a napkin if you wanted. As long as I got to hold your hand."

Santana smiled, making her dimples show. She looked down bashfully at the table, and Brittany had to hold herself back from launching herself at Santana and kissing her dimples repeatedly.

"I really want to hold your hand, but I'm not going to make you do it under a napkin," she told her. "We already are having to hide our dates, I don't want to have to actually hide _on_ our dates. It just might take some time to get used to the fact that I can actually hold the hand of a beautiful woman now."

Brittany felt like she was on top of the world. She had the most gorgeous woman in the world on a date with her and telling her that she wants to hold her hand, and not hide it. She just silently stared at Santana, and she must have had a silly look on her face because Santana's brow furrowed at her.

"What?"

Brittany's smile was huge as she gave a little shrug. "Nothing. I am just really happy right now."

Santana's smile matched hers. "Me, too."

"So, does that mean I don't have to use my napkin to hold your hand then?" Brittany asked teasingly.

Santana laughed and reached her hand back across the table. Brittany happily took it. They chatted while they held hands and waited for their food. When their server returned, food in tow, Santana didn't snatch her hand back. In fact, she kept her hand in Brittany's as she picked up her fork with her left. Brittany was pleased to find that her own right hand was free to eat. This was a perfect set up.

The first bite of food she took made her close her eyes in pleasure. "This is so good," she enthused after she swallowed.

"I know, right?" Santana agreed wholeheartedly.

They dug into their food enthusiastically, all the while not releasing the other's hand. Brittany raved over the garlic breadsticks. Santana was happy that she loved the food so much.

Sal came out to talk to them when they were almost finished. Brittany was so happy when he looked straight at their joined hands and Santana just smiled up at him happily.

"How is everything?"

"So amazing," Brittany raved.

"You know it was good," Santana told him, rolling her eyes.

He chuckled. "I do my best. But I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it. Were you interested in any dessert?"

Santana looked to Brittany, who just blew out a breath. She was so full at the moment. Santana smiled in understanding.

"I think we will pass right now. Maybe after we do a little dancing?" The last part was phrased as a question toward Brittany, who nodded. She definitely wanted to dance with her, and dessert after that was always a possibility.

Sal smiled at both of them. "If I don't see you for some reason before you leave, you ladies enjoy the rest of your evening. And I expect to see you both back here in the future."

Brittany agreed, fully intending to return here with Santana. She watched as Sal and Santana shared a meaningful look, and she realized that there was something more significant in that statement meant for Santana. She felt her heart lighten as Santana's whole face seemed to light up.

"We will definitely be back," Santana finally said softly.

"Good," Sal said. He said a final goodnight and then returned back to the kitchen presumably.

"So how about that dance?" Santana asked, rubbing her thumb over the back of Brittany's hand.

Brittany nodded, and they got up, hands still never parting. Santana led Brittany to the dance floor, and Brittany pulled her in close to her body. She couldn't help but think at how well their bodies fit together. The feel of Santana's legs against hers as they slow danced to the music was mind-blowing. The feel of Santana's torso and breasts pressed to her body was making her head swim and her heart rate start to pick up. The feel of her in her arms was both soothing and erotic in the most amazing ways.

"I've wanted to dance like this with you since the first time I saw you," she said quietly into Santana's ear.

"I've wanted it since the first time I saw you dance," Santana replied breathily with a little laugh. Brittany chuckled, but the tone of Santana's voice caused tingles to run down her spine.

She rested her cheek against the side of Santana's head and pulled her in a little closer. Santana's breath caught and Brittany heard it. It made the butterflies in her stomach go absolutely crazy to know that the Latina was just as affected by their dancing as she was. She wanted to tell Santana how amazing she felt against her, but she didn't want to freak her out. It was already a huge deal that they were dancing like this in public. She wouldn't push things further than they had already gone.

The song changed to a little more upbeat tune, and Brittany took that opportunity to get things a little less intense between them. She pulled back and whipped Santana into a turn. Santana laughed in surprise, but easily went with it. She was easy to lead, and she picked up the movements right away. Brittany noticed several people smiling at them as they danced, and that just made her own smile grow bigger. Santana was having a good time, and that just made things so much better.

They danced for a few more songs. Brittany took advantage of the slow songs to bring their bodies together and bury her nose in Santana's hair, but she knew Santana didn't mind it at all. But she noticed Santana start to get a little tense as she saw more people watching them as they danced.

"I think I could use some dessert," she suggested after pulling Santana to a stop.

Santana gave her a grateful smile and nodded. They headed up toward the bar and ordered a piece of cheesecake to share. They ate their dessert in relative silence, apart from the little noises of delight they made from the taste.

"So are you wanting to dance more, or…?" Santana's question trailed off, leaving it open ended for Brittany to answer.

She got the feeling that Santana was kind of wanting to get away from the people at the moment.

"Actually, I kind of would like to go somewhere a little more quiet where we can talk," she suggested.

Santana agreed and they settled up their bill. Santana once again opened the car door for Brittany, making her smile. She loved that Santana was trying to be chivalrous and take care of her, though it wasn't really necessary.

They started to drive back toward the city, and Santana's hand once again ended up palm up on the center console, waiting for Brittany to take it. So she obliged. She couldn't get enough of the fact that she could do this now. That Santana wanted this. With her.

"Was there somewhere in particular you wanted to go?"

Brittany turned to look at Santana. "I figure we could just go back to my apartment."

Santana swallowed hard, and Brittany could see the nerves take over. "Just to talk. Or whatever you want to do. I am not expecting anything more than just spending more time with you," Brittany quickly added.

Santana looked quickly over at her and nodded. She was still nervous, and Brittany wished she wasn't. But, to be honest, Brittany was getting a little more nervous herself. What if something did happen? She hadn't done anything more than kiss another woman. She wanted that with Santana, but it was their first date. Was she even ready for that? Was Santana ready for that?

Oh God, now she was kind of freaking out. Before she even knew it, they were pulling up outside of her apartment building. She was a little lost in her thoughts and didn't notice Santana had gotten out of the car and walked around it until she opened Brittany's door.

Unlike earlier, Santana didn't take Brittany's hand. And Brittany didn't try to hold it either. They were back in the city, where people maybe could see them. If anybody saw them now, they could just say that they had gone out as friends. They couldn't do that if they were holding hands like they had been.

Brittany led Santana up to her door, and she could feel the growing tension between them.

"Are you okay coming in?"

Santana's eyes met hers, and Brittany could see a mixture of desire, fear, nerves, and determination. She nodded, and Brittany swallowed. She opened the door and Santana followed her in.

"You want some wine, or water, or tequila?" Brittany asked nervously.

Santana chuckled, some of the tension fading. "No, I'm okay. But maybe we can just sit down and talk for a bit. I think that's all I'm ready for right now."

Brittany let out a relieved breath. "Okay. That's fine. That's good. That's really good," she rambled.

Santana laughed again, and Brittany chuckled with her. They sat down on the couch, turning their bodies to face each other and were way more relaxed than they had been since they left the restaurant. Their knees were brushing from their proximity.

"I had a really great time tonight," Brittany said.

Santana smiled shyly and looked down at her lap. A lock of hair fell forward. "Me, too."

Brittany reached up and leaned forward to brush the hair back and tuck it behind Santana's ear. Santana gasped a little and her eyes shot up to lock with Brittany's. She froze, chocolate eyes keeping her captive. When her eyes darted down to see Santana wet her lips, she was done for.

Brittany closed the distance between them and pressed their lips together. She inhaled sharply at the feel of the Latina's soft mouth on her own. Her hand moved from Santana's ear down to her cheek, which she cupped as she deepened the kiss. Santana responded eagerly, making her heart pound in her chest.

She just about died when she felt the flick of Santana's tongue on her lower lip. She vaguely heard a moan, but had no clue which one of them it came from. All she was aware of was parting her lips for Santana and then the feeling of Santana's tongue on hers made everything go hazy.

Santana's hands moved up to the back of Brittany's neck and pulled her in closer. Their kiss turned hungrier, their tongues and lips caressing more deeply. Brittany found herself leaning further into Santana, who was pulling her even closer. They ended up with Santana on her back on the couch with Brittany lying over her, their bodies pressed together in the most delicious way possible.

Brittany was in heaven. She was so aroused and Santana felt so good beneath her. And Santana's mouth was seriously magic. They pulled apart to take a breath, but Brittany immediately dove back down. She kissed Santana's lips and then trailed kisses down her cheek to her neck, where she parted her lips and sucked some of the brunette's delectable skin into her mouth.

"Fuck, Brittany," Santana moaned, arching up into her as her head fell back.

Brittany's hands started to roam. She caressed Santana's sides as her mouth continued to work on her neck. It was when she heard Santana groan while her hands got closer to the other woman's breasts that she realized they were getting pretty far. She kept her hands from reaching the place she wanted them the most just in time, because Santana seemed to realize how fast they were moving too.

"Wait," Santana breathed. "Britt, we should stop."

Brittany pulled her mouth away from Santana's neck and lifted herself up to look at her. Seeing Santana in that state, with her pupils wide and eyes full of desire, lips swollen and face flushed as she panted beneath her was the best thing she had ever seen. She had to force herself not to just dive right back down to taste Santana's mouth again.

"You're right," Brittany panted.

She reluctantly sat up and pulled Santana up with her. They straightened their dresses and their hair, laughing a little at how mussed they had gotten.

"I think I should probably go home," Santana said quietly, looking at her with a touch of regret.

Brittany was disappointed, but she understood. If that had happened after being in her apartment after just a few minutes, she wasn't sure how they would be able to stop themselves from going further if they spent any more time together.

"As much as I hate to see you leave, it is probably for the best. Unless you want to take a giant leap that I don't think either of us are quite ready for. Besides, I don't put out on the first date," she teased.

She successfully got Santana to laugh to her delight. "I really have had a great night. The best date I've ever had," Santana said sincerely.

"Honestly, it was the best date I've ever had, too," Brittany told her.

Santana grinned and leaned forward to press another soft kiss to Brittany's lips. Brittany cupped her cheeks and held her there a little longer before finally releasing her.

"You should go."

Santana nodded and stood up. Brittany walked her to the door, where they lingered for a moment.

"Soooo, do you maybe wanna go out with me tomorrow?" Brittany asked, playing with Santana's fingers.

"I dunno," Santana said playfully. "I'd have to check my schedule."

Brittany dropped her jaw letting out an offended noise. "I can't believe you are already seeing another girl on the side," she teased.

Santana leaned up quickly and kissed her again, this time holding the back of Brittany's head to pull her in. "Only you," she said against her lips. "It is only you, Britt. And I would love to go out with you tomorrow."

Brittany felt something settle in her chest that felt so big that she thought it could explode. She loved hearing Santana say that. And, if she had her way, she would be having Santana call her 'girlfriend' soon. She was kind of surprised at how badly she wanted that already.

She smiled against Santana's lips. "Perfect."

They kissed one final time before Santana headed out the door. Brittany watched her walk down to the elevator, and they waved goodbye as the doors closed and broke their view of each other.

Brittany had been right. This was the most incredible night she had experienced, and she was going to go to bed still smiling.

 **A/N: Sooooo, yeah. There is their first date. I don't have much to say about it, other than I enjoyed writing it. I hope you enjoyed reading it!**

 **Thoughts? Comments? Predictions on what will happen next?**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Santana could swear that she could come just from making out with Brittany. She had never been more turned on in her life and they were just kissing. Well, maybe their hands were roaming a little, but it was mostly kissing. Really, _really_ good kissing. The best kissing Santana had ever experienced since she first started kissing at the age of 13.

They had been dating for several weeks now. Tonight they had gone out to a movie at a theater outside of the city and gotten takeout to eat afterwards. They hadn't eaten much of the food before the kissing started.

And Santana wasn't complaining. Apart from the fact that she was afraid she was going to orgasm just from Brittany's mouth on hers. That would be embarrassing.

They were on her couch. She had somehow ended up straddling Brittany's lap as the blonde leaned into the back of the couch. Brittany's hands kept switching between holding her hips and cupping her ass. Santana's hands were roaming up and down Brittany's sides as they kissed. She wanted to move them around and massage Brittany's breasts, and she was just on the verge of giving into that desire when Brittany's mouth trailed down to her neck and began to kiss and suck there.

It drove Santana crazy. Her hips rolled into Brittany's and she moaned as her head fell back. Brittany groaned into her neck and she pulled Santana's hips down into her. Santana dropped her head back down and immediately attacked Brittany's lips again. She kissed her deeply, thrusting her tongue between the blonde's lips to duel with Brittany's. Her hands finished their journey and cupped Brittany's breasts, making her moan into Santana's mouth and her breath stutter.

They hadn't had sex yet. She really wanted to. She knew Brittany wanted to, as well. But she was scared shitless of taking that step. She had no idea what to do. Well, she knew what she was supposed to do, but she wasn't sure she would be any good at it. She had never had sex with a girl before. Neither had Brittany, but it didn't make her any more nervous about it.

Plus, she wanted their first time to be special. She really liked Brittany, and she wanted to treat her better than the guys she had been with in the past. Brittany meant way more to her than a hook-up or just someone she was dating in her denial. And having their first time on a couch after an admittedly hot make-out session was not exactly how she envisioned it.

But, oh God, Brittany's boobs felt fucking amazing in her hands. She squeezed them gently, loving how they molded to her palms and fingers. She could play with Brittany's boobs forever. She thought that maybe she was ready to move the action to underneath the shirt.

But then her phone rang. And she desperately didn't want to answer it, but she had a client that had been freaking out over a big audition coming up, and she had promised him that she would be available for him if he needed.

She broke the kiss and leaned her forehead against Brittany's and tried to catch her breath. Her hands dropped from Brittany's breasts and she shook her head in frustrated exasperation.

"I'm sorry, but I should probably get that," she apologized.

Brittany just nodded, and Santana paused, taking in the flushed skin, darkened blue eyes, and swollen lips of the other woman. She looked like she had just thoroughly been ravaged and it was hard for Santana to tear herself away.

She let out a groan of frustration and slipped off of Brittany's lap. She located her phone on the coffee table, next to their abandoned dinner, and saw that it was her mother calling.

Oh, shit. Her arousal pretty much just flew away at seeing that on her phone screen.

"Fuck," she muttered before sliding her finger over the screen to accept the call. "Hi, mami."

"Santana!" Maribel greeted enthusiastically. "How are you, mija?"

She shot a glance to Brittany, who was watching her with a little amusement. She would have been doing much better had her mother not interrupted them.

"I'm doing fine," she replied. "What's up?"

She figured something was going on since her mother usually didn't call this late on a Friday night.

"I just wanted to let you know that your papi and I will be in the city tomorrow evening and we would like to see you," she said.

"What? You're going to be here tomorrow?" Santana asked in a near panic, sitting up straighter. "Why? When? What?"

Brittany was trying to stifle her laughter, and Santana smacked her leg and scowled at her. Brittany only snuggled further into the couch and covered her mouth as she giggled.

"Do you not want to see your parents, Santana?" Maribel questioned. "Your father has a conference on Monday morning, so we decided to come earlier on the weekend so we could visit with you since we haven't seen you in awhile. We will be there around dinnertime tomorrow, so it would be great if we could get dinner together. That is, if you could deign to visit with your mother and father."

"No, I want to see you guys," Santana protested, feeling guilty. "It's just kind of last minute notice, mami. I had plans tomorrow."

Brittany was now looking at her with concern. Yes, her plans included going out with Brittany. Or maybe doing a little staying in with Brittany. She had kind of wanted to have a special dinner with Brittany and ask her to be her girlfriend. Because she really liked being with her. She wanted to take that next step. She didn't want to risk Brittany getting tired of their just dating and waiting for Santana to be okay with their relationship. Because she was okay with it. She just was still learning to adjust to having something this amazing.

Also, she thought that maybe tomorrow, after their special dinner, and if Brittany agreed to be her girlfriend, that they could have their first time. Now, however, that didn't seem to be happening.

"Well, can you change your plans?" Maribel asked.

Santana bit her lip and looked at Brittany guiltily. She really didn't want to cancel on her, but it was her parents she was talking about. She felt so bad and she was really torn.

She let out a sigh. "I was going to hang out with my friend Brittany, but I guess I could maybe see if I can reschedule?"

Santana phrased that as a question toward Brittany, hoping that the blonde understood that she didn't want to cancel their plans. She wanted nothing more than to spend her night with the woman whom she was beginning to miss the second she left the room, and whom she was beginning to suspect that she was falling for. As if that didn't scare the shit out of her.

Brittany looked disappointed, but she grabbed Santana's hand and rubbed her thumb along the back soothingly as she nodded. Santana squeezed it in thanks.

"Oh, you had plans with Brittany? Wasn't that the girl you were telling me about before?"

"Yeah," Santana confirmed, a little confused as to where her mom was going with this.

"Why don't you invite her along," Maribel said cheerfully. "I don't want you to have to put her out by cancelling your plans. That way your papi and I can meet the woman who has made such an impact on you recently."

Santana's eyes bugged a little in surprise. What the fuck was going on here?

"Um, I suppose I can ask if she would want to join us for dinner," Santana said, shooting Brittany a bewildered look.

Brittany tried to fight a grin, but she was losing.

 _I would love to_ , she mouthed.

Santana didn't know what she was getting into, but the thought of Brittany meeting her parents both scared her to death and kind of gave her good, fluttery feelings in her tummy.

"That sounds perfect. We would love to meet her and we can't wait to see you. I will send you our flight details later. I love you, Santana and we will see you tomorrow!"

"Okay," she said, a little overwhelmed. "Love you too, mami."

Santana disconnected the call and looked at her phone, still wondering exactly what was going on.

"So we are going to dinner with your parents tomorrow?" Brittany asked, her joy evident.

"Apparently?" Santana said on a laugh. "I mean, if that is okay with you."

"Absolutely," Brittany said happily before her face sobered into worry. "Well, if it is okay with you, of course. I don't want you to do anything you aren't comfortable with."

Santana turned more toward Brittany and took her other hand in hers. "It's okay with me," she said honestly, and then she started rambling. "It is a little weird, and I can't guarantee it won't be a little uncomfortable, but I want you to meet them. Obviously they would need to know you when I come out and tell them that we're dating and everything, so if they know who you are to begin with then it might be a little easier. But if you aren't okay with that then I can just keep telling them that we are friends until you are okay with it."

"Santana!" Brittany interjected, pulling on her hands slightly to get her attention. Santana stopped her incessant rambling. "I want to meet them. And I most definitely want them to know about us, whenever you are comfortable to tell them. Because I really like you. Like, a _lot_. And I love the fact that you want to come out to them and that you want to tell them about us. But it is all about whenever you are ready, okay?"

Santana let out a breath and smiled at Brittany. She was seriously perfect. She felt a funny pressure in her chest that she was sure only Brittany could ever cause.

"Thank you, Britt. Seriously, you are so amazing," she said softly.

Brittany chuckled. "I don't know about that, but I can't help but try for you. Because you already know how amazing I think you are."

Santana smiled softly, watching as Brittany's eyes sparkled and looked at her tenderly and full of something Santana really hoped was how she was feeling for the blonde. She then cupped Brittany's cheek and leaned in to kiss her gently. It was completely different than the kisses they had shared prior to her mother's phone call.

It was perfect.

The mood of the evening had changed, so instead of going back to making out, they ate a little more dinner and cuddled on the couch while they watched a movie. Santana couldn't think of much better things than having Brittany's arms around her and their bodies snuggled together.

She ended up falling asleep on Brittany, who gently woke her up and led her into bed. She tried to get her to stay and cuddle in bed with her, but Brittany refused. It was probably for the best, considering she wasn't sure they would be able to keep their hands to themselves, especially when Santana woke up in the morning and saw the most beautiful woman in the world sleeping next to her.

Instead, Santana woke up the next morning alone but happy. At least until she remembered that her parents were coming and they would be meeting Brittany. Would she be able to keep her feelings for Brittany hidden? Would they suspect anything?

She wanted to come out to them, she just wasn't prepared to do it tonight. She needed more time. She just started seeing Brittany, and she was just coming to terms with being out herself. She knew she would have to do it soon, though.

Santana spent most of the day cleaning her apartment in preparation for her parents' visit. She texted Brittany throughout the day. She was really excited to see her later, as usual. She couldn't imagine ever not looking forward to seeing the blonde.

After getting her place in order, making sure to clean every nook and cranny, she heard from her mother. Her mother had sent their flight information last night, and they were due to arrive around 5pm. They were getting ready to board the plane, so Santana should start preparing to get ready for them since it was a short flight.

She showered, dried her hair, and put on a tight black, knee length skirt with a red blouse. She put on matching red heels, curled her hair, and then did her make-up. She had told Brittany to meet at her place around six, and she would probably be there after her parents arrived. That would give Santana time to get her obligatory hugs and greetings done and maybe have some time to relax before the woman she was dating showed up to make her a complete nervous wreck.

At twenty to six, there was a knock on her door. Her heart skipped a beat from nerves. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Hi, mija!" Her parents greeted enthusiastically as they entered the apartment.

Santana was quickly engulfed in tight hugs from both her mother and father. She felt herself calming as the soothing scent of her mother's perfume and her father's aftershave hit her. Her parents hadn't been perfect, but they had still been great parents to her. She had everything she really could have ever wanted, including their obvious love for her. She just didn't like the fact that her mother butted into her personal life so much and that they were still pretty religious people. Though they had never showed any sort of homophobia, Santana still had no idea how they would react to knowing that their only daughter was a lesbian.

"Hi, mami. Papi," she said. "I've missed you."

"Santana, you look really good," her father said, stepping back from their hug to take her in. "You look happy."

Santana couldn't stop the grin that took over her face, knowing exactly the reason why she was so happy.

"I am happy, papi," she replied.

Her mother had a knowing smile on her face that she shot to her father, who looked back at Maribel with his own little smile. Santana frowned a little, not understanding what that little look was about.

"That's excellent to hear," her mom said. "Now, where is your friend? And where do you want to go for dinner?"

"Uh, Brittany should be here around six," she answered. "And wherever you want to go is fine."

"I vote for that Japanese place we went to the last time we were here," her father said.

"Javi, maybe Santana and Brittany don't want to eat there," her mother admonished.

"No, that's fine. And I know Brittany doesn't care where we eat, as long as there is food," she said.

Her mother looked at her funny, and she realized that she had a goofy smile on her face from thinking about Brittany and her love for food. Maribel looked amused as Santana dropped her smile.

"Then the Japanese place is fine," Maribel said.

They headed toward the couches and sat down as they waited for Brittany to arrive.

After some questions about work and her life in New York (which thankfully did not include any questions about her dating life), she heard another knock on the door. She jumped up quickly, her nerves spiking at the thought of her parents and Brittany meeting.

"I'll get it," she said, her nerves making her state the obvious and look stupid. Her parents were definitely going to think something was up if she kept acting like this.

Santana pulled the door open and smiled as soon as she saw Brittany. Brittany gave her a nervous smile back, which was adorable. Her hair was pulled up into a sleek ponytail, and she was wearing black dress pants and a purple blouse with matching pumps. She looked gorgeous.

"Come in, Britt," Santana said, moving out of the way so the other woman could enter. "My parents are here."

Brittany nodded, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. Santana wanted to take her hand to relax her as they walked over to her parents, but she couldn't.

"Hello," her mother said cheerily, standing up from the couch and stretching out her hand. "You must be Brittany. Santana has talked quite a bit about you."

Santana gave her mother a strange look. Yeah, she had talked about Brittany to her mom, but not all that much. I mean, more than she talked about Rachel or Kurt or anyone else, but still, it wasn't like she just spoke for hours about Brittany with her mother.

"Hi," Brittany greeted, shaking Maribel's hand. "That's me. And Santana has told me a lot about you, too."

This was actually true. They had talked a lot about their childhoods and growing up, and she had learned all about Brittany's family and she had told her about her own parents. So Brittany was actually going in with some knowledge.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Brittany," her father said, standing up and shaking Brittany's hand. "I'm Javier, and you have met Maribel."

"Nice to meet you."

"So, Santana said that you are an actress and a dancer," Maribel stated and they all sat down, with Santana and Brittany next to each other on the couch.

"That's right," Brittany said. "The dancing I've been doing since I was little, but the acting seems to be going well so far."

"That is great. And you sing a little, too?"

Santana met Brittany's questioning look and shrugged a little. She honestly didn't remember mentioning all of that stuff to her mom, but it was possible. She had talked to her parents several times after she and Brittany had started dating, on the promise to her mother that she would call more. And Brittany just always seemed to be on her mind.

"Uh, not that much. I mean, I used to be in glee club in high school, but I am not that great," Brittany answered modestly.

"She is a good singer, mami," Santana interjected. "She was in the glee club with Rachel and Kurt."

"Oh, wow. We've seen both of them perform, and they are very talented. If you performed with them then I am sure that you are more talented than you're letting on."

"I agree," Javier said. "And we know that you must be talented, if Santana is your agent."

Brittany blushed and looked shyly down. "I still don't know why she signed me, but I am definitely grateful."

"You are talented, Brittany. I wouldn't have signed you otherwise," Santana said sincerely, bumping Brittany's shoulder with her own.

There was a short silence, broken when Javier asked if they wanted to go ahead and go to dinner. They all agreed and headed out of the apartment.

The restaurant wasn't very far away, so for the sake of not trying to cram into a cab they took advantage of the nice night and walked. They chatted on the way, Brittany fielding more questions about herself and Santana getting into the conversation as well.

They made it to the restaurant and continued to have pleasant, easy conversation until they were seated.

"Santana said that you have a conference you are in town for?" Brittany asked Santana's father.

He nodded as he perused the menu. "Yeah, there is a talk about new methods in cardiothoracic surgery that I am attending. I am hoping to pick up a few tips to take back to my hospital."

"That is amazing. You must have saved so many lives," Brittany complimented.

Santana could swear that her father blushed. Her father. Blushed! At something Brittany had said. As it was, he smiled and nodded.

"I do my best."

Santana fought off a laugh and met her mother's amused glance.

"Papi is a good surgeon," Santana said instead. "And mami has worked a lot of years at the bank. They and abuela taught me all about hard work."

"Ah, Santanita. Giving 100% at whatever you do is one of the most important things you should do in your life, and we are so proud that you learned that well," her mother praised. "One of the top in your class, getting a scholarship to NYU, being a captain on the cheerleading squad, and seeing what you do with your work now shows how much you have been able to accomplish through hard work."

"She is pretty amazing," Brittany gushed, leaning into Santana slightly with a smile.

Santana smiled back, her stomach flipping happily at Brittany's shining eyes.

"That she is," her father agreed.

"So what do your parents do?" Maribel asked.

"Well, my mom is in real estate, and my dad does landscaping," Brittany answered.

"That is nice. I imagine your father has benefitted from your mother's job, with some references after selling a house?"

Brittany nodded to Maribel. "Sometimes, yeah. He has some really cool ideas for flower beds and stuff, so if mom has people looking to do some replanting she might suggest him depending on if she thinks they would like him."

Santana had heard about Pierce Pierce and his unique way of thinking. She could only imagine the type of lawn designs he would come up with.

They continued to talk over dinner, and things were going a lot better than Santana had imagined. She caught some interesting looks from her parents every once in awhile, but she didn't think too much about it. They both seemed to really like Brittany a lot, which wasn't much of a surprise, but it still pleased Santana to no end. If they liked Brittany, then maybe it would be easier for them to accept that she was a lesbian.

Santana couldn't help the occasional touches she and Brittany shared, but she thought they were discreet. They kept them underneath the table or did a shoulder brush every once in awhile. She just was in a bit of her normal Brittany haze.

Santana was having a good night, and her nerves had gone away once she had seen how well her parents and Brittany were getting along.

Once they were finished, they headed back to Santana's apartment. Her parents stopped outside of her building, which confused Santana. She had expected them to come up.

"You aren't coming up?"

Her mom and dad glanced at each other before her father looked back at her. "We're a little tired, mija. Why don't you girls enjoy the rest of your night, since we already kind of forced our way into your plans anyways."

"No, it's okay," Brittany assured them.

"It's fine, honey," Maribel said with a smile. "Spend the evening doing whatever you had planned on. We will go back to the hotel and relax."

Santana was at a loss, but her parents wanted to leave so who was she to argue with getting alone time with Brittany?

"If you guys are sure," she said.

"Absolutely." Her mother pulled her into a hug and said quietly into her ear, "I really like her."

Santana felt a jolt of nerves and a lot of confusion. What was going on? Did they know? They couldn't. Could they?

Her mother pulled back and held onto her biceps and just smiled at her. Santana was really getting suspicious now. Her father came and engulfed her in a hug as her mother said goodbye to Brittany.

"She's beautiful, Santana," her father said in her ear. "I like her."

Okay, now she really had a feeling that they knew. But they weren't saying anything outright, so what if she was wrong? Maybe she would be coming out to them sooner than she thought?

They said a final goodnight and Santana took Brittany back up to her apartment.

"I think they know," she said, a little dazed, once she shut the door behind them.

"Know what?" Brittany asked, finally taking Santana's hand into her own and leading her to the couch.

"About us. About me."

Santana sat down on the couch hard, and Brittany followed.

"Are you serious? Why do you think that?"

Santana saw the genuine interest in Brittany's eyes, and not a hint of concern. It helped to keep her grounded, knowing that Brittany wasn't freaking out at the possibility of her parents knowing about them.

"Just… they both said that they really liked you. In a way that made me pretty sure that it was more than just the casual meeting of a friend. Like they were saying they approved of you for me, if that makes any sense," Santana tried to explain.

Brittany smiled a little. "It does. But are you sure?"

Santana chuckled and shrugged as she shook her head. "No, but I really think so."

"And if they approved of me and seemed okay with it? How does that make you feel?" Brittany asked gently.

Santana let a slow smile cross her face, her chest filling with a lightness as if a weight she hadn't known she had been carrying for years was being lifted.

"It feels really good. Amazing, actually," she said happily.

Brittany grinned at her. "Yeah? So do you think you are gonna tell them while they are here?"

Santana nodded. "I think so. I definitely think it is time. And if they approve of you, I think it would be really easy to tell them that you're my girlfriend."

Santana's eyes widened and she slapped her hand over her mouth as soon as the word left her mouth. Brittany's face turned shocked and her eyes locked onto Santana's.

"Oh my God, Britt. I didn't… I mean, that's not how…" Santana began.

Brittany grabbed Santana's hand from over her mouth and held it in between them. There was a hint of a smile at the corner of her lips and her beautiful blue eyes began to sparkle.

"Am I your girlfriend, Santana?"

Santana's heart skipped a beat and she sat frozen. Not in fear. God, no, not in fear. But in the disbelief that this was happening. She just could not be awake right now. The girl of her dreams isn't seriously asking if they are girlfriends?

"Am I?" Brittany repeated, leaning a little closer and keeping her eyes locked onto Santana's.

"If you want to be, I would love it if you would agree to be my girlfriend," Santana said softly, looking deeply into Brittany's eyes.

Brittany broke out into the most beautiful smile Santana had ever seen. "Yes! I would love to be your girlfriend, Santana!"

Santana grinned. "Really?"

She still couldn't believe it, even as Brittany nodded and pulled her into a hug. This was the best feeling in the entire world. Why had she been so scared for so long? Maybe it was meant to happen that way. Maybe she was supposed to be waiting for Brittany all along.

She needed to kiss Brittany. She pulled back enough to cup the blonde's cheeks and bring her mouth to hers.

Kissing Brittany as her girlfriend felt even more amazing. The kiss started off innocent enough, but quickly turned passionate. Santana's tongue parted Brittany's lips and it was as if fireworks had been set off.

Brittany tangled her hands in Santana's hair and tilted her head so they could kiss even deeper. Arousal settled straight into Santana's lower belly and she could feel her wetness start to pool. She wanted Brittany. She wanted to make love to her girlfriend. There was nothing holding her back anymore.

She pulled back from the kiss, making Brittany protest. She just smirked at her and brought her hands up to start to unbutton her blouse. Brittany's eyes widened as her eyes locked onto what Santana's fingers were doing. She licked her lips and then looked back up into Santana's eyes.

"Are you sure?" Her voice was breathy and low, and Santana knew that it was definitely the time.

She nodded and finished unbuttoning her blouse. She slipped it off of her shoulders and let it pool onto the couch. She took Brittany's hand in hers and pulled her up from the couch to make their way back to her bedroom.

"I'm ready, Brittany."

 **A/N: So a lot of developments this chapter! Santana's parents came into town and met Brittany. And they seem to know, right? At least they approve of Brittany! What do you guys think of the Lopezes? And how do you think Santana coming out to her parents is going to go?**

 **And they are girlfriends! Yay?! Do you think it is too fast? Or just right for these girls?**

 **And I know y'all are gonna wanna punch me for that ending, but I can live with that :)**

 **Any other thoughts or comments? Besides how much you hate me for leaving that cliffhanger lol**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Brittany thought she had died and gone to heaven. Seriously. Maybe she would see her old cat Charity soon. Or her grandma. Because surely she was not experiencing this on earth right now.

Or maybe she was dreaming. But wait… Santana was holding her hand. And she could feel it. Santana was facing her in front of her bed, clad only in a tight skirt and a black, lacy bra. She could feel the pounding of her heart and the shakiness of her breath and the heat of the flush that was spreading to her face and neck as her arousal peaked at viewing Santana before her in a state of half-dressed desire.

 _Oh my God_ , she thought. _This was really happening!_

They were going to take their relationship to the next level. She had craved having sex with Santana since pretty much the moment they met. But this was so much bigger than that. It was way more than just sex. Because Brittany knew that what she felt for Santana was way more than just wanting sex.

Brittany had such strong feelings for the Latina. Stronger than she had ever felt for anyone she had dated in the past. And when Santana had asked her to be her girlfriend, she could swear that it was the happiest moment of her life. Brittany was pretty sure that she was falling for Santana.

Wait, scratch that. She was pretty sure she had already fallen. In just a couple short months, she had grown to love the woman standing before her, ready to share the most intimate parts of herself, more than anyone else in the world.

Brittany stepped closer to Santana and tentatively laid her hand on the other woman's bare stomach. The muscles twitched a little under her fingers, and she watched as she ran her hand lightly up Santana's stomach and around her side. Santana's skin felt amazing. So soft and smooth. They had done some under the clothes touching when they were making out, but it was completely different when you could see everything.

She lifted their joined hands up and to the side so she could press their bodies together. Brittany pulled her close and brought her mouth to Santana's. The kiss was deep and hungry, but unhurried. She found the clasp of Santana's bra, and unlinked their hands so she could use both to remove the hindrance. Once it was unclasped, she pulled away from Santana to slide it down her arms and let it fall to the floor.

Brittany swore she had a heart attack. At least for just a minute, she thought she had legitimately died.

Santana was so completely beautiful and sexy and amazing. And Brittany couldn't wait to touch and taste and make Santana feel so, so good.

She licked her suddenly dry lips and her hands travelled up to cup Santana's breasts. Santana inhaled sharply as her thumbs brushed over her hardened nipples. God, Brittany could get used to this. She knew she was attracted to women, and Santana in particular, but getting the chance to do this just confirmed that she was a woman loving woman.

She just needed more. Brittany leaned down and ran her tongue around Santana's left nipple and then sucked it into her mouth.

"Fuck," Santana moaned, her hands going to Brittany's head to pull her in closer as her back arched.

Brittany massaged Santana's other breast as she suckled before moving her mouth to her right breast and her hand squeezed Santana's newly neglected left breast. She could do this all day.

But Santana seemed to have other plans. She pulled Brittany's mouth away from her breast, making Brittany pout a little, but she went straight toward Brittany's blouse and began to undo the buttons.

Brittany was eager to help, wanting to feel bare skin against bare skin. She wanted to make love to Santana. So she helped undo her buttons and slid her top off before quickly unhooking and removing her bra.

Once it fell to the floor, Santana's eyes locked onto her naked torso. Her eyes seemed unable to stay focused for long, trailing over her perky breasts and her defined abs before heading back up to her boobs and her collarbone and her neck and up to her eyes. And then they went straight back down to her boobs, which started to tingle from Santana's staring.

Santana swallowed hard and then pulled Brittany into her by her hips, bringing their bare breasts into contact.

"Oh, God," Brittany breathed, a shiver running through her body at the contact. Her center was throbbing now, and she knew she was wetter than she had ever been in her life. And they hadn't really even done anything yet.

She needed to kiss Santana. Santana had the same idea, because their mouths met in a tangle of heat and lust, kissing hard and hungry. Brittany's hand went to Santana's skirt, finding the zipper and trailing it down Santana's curves. The garment fell away and pooled around the brunette's feet. Santana was already working on Brittany's pants. She had the button undone and the zipper down in no time. Brittany helped her pull the pants down, and once they had fallen she guided Santana back toward the bed and stepped out of them, never breaking their kiss.

Santana's knees hit the bed, so Brittany gently lowered her down and followed. She crawled up Santana's body, taking advantage of her position to kiss and suck on Santana's neck and collarbone. She straddled Santana's hips and held herself up by her arms as she continued to lavish attention onto the brunette's lithe neck.

Santana started to rock her hips up into Brittany, which created a delicious friction that was made much more noticeable through the thin fabric of her soaked panties. It sent a shock of desire through her, making her shudder and bite down a little harder than she intended on Santana's neck. Santana groaned in pleasure and arched up harder into Brittany.

Brittany needed to touch. She didn't know how much longer she could wait. She supported herself with her left hand as she brought her right hand up to Santana's breast to massage it briefly before trailing it down the Latina's stomach toward her panties.

Santana gasped and her stomach tensed under her hand. "Britt," she murmured. "Britt, wait."

Brittany detached her mouth from Santana's neck and immediately stopped her hand from moving any further. She brought it back down to the bed to hold herself up so she could look at Santana, who was staring up at her with desire and nerves.

"You okay?" Brittany asked, trying to catch her breath.

Santana nodded jerkily. "Yeah. It's just… I've never done this."

Brittany smiled and giggled a little. "I know. I haven't either. You know that."

Santana huffed and rolled her eyes. "I know, but you know what I mean."

Brittany's smile softened, understanding what Santana was trying to say. "You're nervous." Santana nodded, avoiding Brittany's gaze. She cupped Santana's cheek and caressed it with her thumb, getting her to meet her eyes once more. "It's okay. I am nervous too. But we can learn together. And if I do something you don't like, then tell me. I won't get mad or anything. And I will do the same, okay?"

Santana let out a breath and gave Brittany a small smile. "Okay," she said softly.

"I'll go slow, and if you want me to stop, then just tell me."

Santana nodded again, and Brittany lowered herself to kiss her. She kept the kiss soft and slow until Santana decided to deepen it. She let Santana set the pace, and once the brunette started to let her hands roam Brittany decided to pick things up a little.

Santana's hands were massaging Brittany's breasts, rolling her nipples between her fingers. Brittany's hips started to roll into Santana. She moved her lips from Santana's neck back up to Santana's mouth and kissed her hungrily. Santana's hands felt so amazing on her, and she wanted to make her feel just as great. She lowered herself a little, propping herself up on her left elbow, bringing their bodies more into contact. It was amazing. But what was even more amazing was that Santana kept playing with her tits and rolling her hips up to meet Brittany's, ramping her desire up even higher.

Brittany brought her right hand between them and brushed her thumb over Santana's nipple before squeezing her breast. She trailed her lips down to Santana's ear as her hand travelled lower. She paused at the hem of Santana's panties.

"Can I touch you, Santana?" Brittany breathed huskily into her ear.

Santana moaned and Brittany felt her head nod in affirmation. The 'yes' she whispered was just all the more confirmation Brittany needed.

She slid her hand into Santana's panties, over her trimmed mound, and then down into her folds. Brittany buried her face into Santana's neck to try and stifle the groan at what she found. Santana was completely soaked. She was practically dripping, and it was all for Brittany. She had made Santana this way, and she wanted nothing more than to completely satisfy her.

"Oh, God," Santana husked as Brittany's fingers slipped through her wetness. "Oh my God."

Brittany was seriously in heaven. But she needed more. She pulled her hand out of Santana's panties, making Santana protest. She sat up and slid down Santana's body, hooking her fingers into Santana's underwear and pulling them down. Santana got the hint and lifted her hips and shimmied to get them off. They were quickly discarded and Brittany hastily removed her own. They were now both completely naked, and Brittany had never seen anything more beautiful than Santana Lopez laid out on the bed, bare and flushed with arousal for her.

"You are so beautiful," she told her girlfriend, sitting there in awe for a brief moment.

Santana smiled at her, showing her dimples. She reached her hand out and grabbed Brittany's arm, pulling her so that she stretched out on top of her again.

"You're the beautiful one," Santana said, tucking Brittany's ponytail back behind her shoulders as she looked deeply into her eyes. "The most amazing, sexy woman in the world. And I am so lucky to have you."

Brittany grinned back down at her and kissed her. Their bodies were flush to each other, and the feeling of skin against skin was wonderful. Brittany squeezed her hand back between their bodies, settling it between Santana's thighs once again. She continued to kiss the brunette deeply, letting their tongues caress each other as her fingers found Santana's clit. She circled it gently, making note of Santana's reactions to her touches.

Santana's hips started to roll, making Brittany press a little harder. Santana tore her mouth away as she began to pant and moan.

"Britt. _God_."

Brittany's own hips started to rock, and Santana lifted her knee so her thigh pressed against Brittany's center. It made her eyes roll back in her head and her touch against Santana stutter briefly. But she recovered quickly, thrusting her slick center against Santana's thigh harder as her fingers slid down to Santana's entrance. Santana's hands settled around Brittany's hips, helping her in her motions.

She circled before gently sliding one finger in. Santana's back arched, pushing herself closer to Brittany and she moaned in Brittany's ear. Brittany thrust her finger in and out a few times before adding a second finger. Santana's breathing was picking up and her exhales were coming out in breathy whimpers. She was deliciously warm and wet around Brittany's fingers, and Brittany knew that she was going to love making love to Santana over and over.

"You feel so good," she moaned into Santana's ear, and the brunette moaned an agreement.

Brittany continued to thrust both her fingers and her hips, driving herself and Santana higher. She could no longer determine which whimpers were hers and which were Santana's. She lifted her head enough so she could find Santana's mouth again. They kissed sloppily as their bodies continued to approach their peaks.

She started rubbing Santana's clit with her thumb as she thrust her fingers in and out, and she found that special spot deep inside of her when she curled her fingers that made Santana moan loudly into her mouth. She kept hitting it, and soon she felt Santana's walls start to tighten. It wasn't too much longer until Santana's body arched and she cried out, her walls clamping down rhythmically around Brittany's fingers.

The combination of hearing and seeing Santana come apart, as well as the feeling of it was enough to send Brittany over the edge after a couple more thrusts against Santana's thigh. Her body tensed and she groaned loudly, burying her face into Santana's neck as she trembled.

She felt Santana's hands rubbing her back gently, helping to soothe her from her climax. She slipped her fingers out of the Latina and wrapped her arms around her, turning them so they were on their sides. They held each other tightly as they recovered, letting their heartbeats and breathing settle.

After several minutes, Santana pulled her head back enough so she could kiss Brittany. The kiss was soft and slow and everything they both needed it to be after that amazing experience.

"That was incredible, Britt," Santana said quietly after she pulled away.

Brittany rested her forehead against Santana's and let her fingers play over Santana's back while they looked into each other's eyes. "That was the most incredible thing I've ever experienced," she said honestly.

It was the complete truth. No other sexual experience compared. Because this was the first time Brittany had ever actually made love. It was the first time she had sex with someone that she was head over heels in love with. Yes, it was fast. She knew it was. But she knew that she was meant to be with Santana. Even with everything they had gone through and all of the obstacles they still faced, Brittany fully believed that they were destined to be together.

"Me, too," Santana said, smiling big.

Brittany kissed one of Santana's dimples, making her laugh. Brittany joined her, exuberant after the wonderful night. She pressed several quick pecks to Santana's lips, rolling them over so Santana lay atop her.

"Seriously, Santana. You are amazing. I'm so happy that you're my girlfriend," she told her.

"I'm happy, too," Santana replied, leaning down once more for a final, lingering peck. Then she lay her head down on Brittany's chest and Brittany held her tightly.

They lay there for long moments, basking in each other. It wasn't until Santana shivered that she realized that maybe they should move.

"Did you want to shower?"

Santana lifted her head and looked at her with a smirk. "I'm in if you are."

Brittany's eyes widened as she realized what Santana wanted. She nodded quickly, and followed Santana to the bathroom. They explored each other's bodies again under the falling water, learning even more about what made them feel good.

They fell asleep tangled up in each other, both completely blissful.

Brittany awoke the next morning to find Santana lying facing her, her hands tucked under her chin and her mouth slightly open as she slept peacefully. The events of the previous night came back to Brittany, making a smile take over her face. There was a lock of hair that had fallen into Santana's face that was fluttering with each exhale. Brittany took it between her fingers and gently laid it back behind the brunette's shoulder.

She couldn't resist lightly running the back of her fingers over Santana's soft cheek. She looked so gorgeous, and it made Brittany's heart ache in the best possible way. The woman lying before her was hers, and hers alone.

Santana's lips twitched as Brittany's hand touched her cheek. It made Brittany bite her lip to stop a giggle. Apparently it wasn't enough, as she let out a laugh through her nose that made Santana's eyes flutter open. Brittany snatched her hand back quickly.

Santana's mouth closed and her nose scrunched up and then she noticed Brittany watching her. Her lips immediately turned up into a sweet, sleepy smile.

"Hi."

"Hi," Brittany replied, shuffling a little closer.

"Do I have drool on my face or something?"

Brittany shook her head.

"So why are you staring at me?"

Brittany shrugged a little. "You're just really pretty."

Santana chuckled. "How long have you been watching me sleep, weirdo?"

Brittany gasped in mock offense. "I call you pretty and you call me a weirdo?"

Santana smirked playfully. "Well, a weirdo watches you sleep. You were watching me sleep, therefore, you are a weirdo."

Brittany huffed. "Fine, that's the last time I look at you because you're gorgeous."

Santana teasingly pouted at her. "Awww, poor Britt. I guess you can watch me sleep if you give me a kiss."

Brittany smiled, loving playful, teasing Santana. "I think that can be arranged."

She easily complied with Santana's request, giving her a good morning kiss that was soft and loving. She smiled into the kiss, happy that Santana kissed her back the same way.

"Good morning, baby," Santana said when the kiss broke.

The term of endearment made Brittany smile bashfully. "Good morning, baby," she replied, making Santana grin back at her.

"Did you want some breakfast?"

Brittany nodded. "What time is it?"

Santana rolled over and grabbed her phone off the nightstand. "It's almost ten."

Brittany hummed in acknowledgement and burrowed further into the pillow. She was comfortable.

"Did you want me to bring you breakfast in bed?" Santana asked, running her hand over Brittany's side after she had rolled back over.

She was sorely tempted to say yes, but she also knew that she would probably miss Santana too much and follow her to the kitchen eventually. She shook her head.

"No, I will help you make it."

Santana nodded and patted her ass playfully. "Let's get up then, lazy bones."

Santana got out of bed and pulled out some clothes from her dresser. She tossed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt to Brittany before pulling on the same herself. She grabbed a hairband and put her hair up in a messy bun to keep it out of the way while Brittany got out of bed and got dressed.

Brittany followed Santana out of the bedroom. Santana headed to the kitchen while Brittany located her phone on the coffee table. She had missed a few texts from her mom and Quinn. Her mom was just checking in, while Quinn wanted to know where she was after Brittany hadn't replied to her first text. That made her think about how she and Santana were going to handle this whole thing in regards to their friends. She knew they had to keep their relationship quiet for the sake of Santana's job, but surely that didn't pertain to all of their family and friends, right?

Plus, Brittany didn't think she could continue to lie to her best friend or her parents. She usually told Quinn everything, even about the time that she puked while giving a guy a blow job when she was drunk at a party. Definitely not her best moment, but, in her defense, he kept shoving her head down and activating her gag reflex over and over. She tried to tell him to stop, but he wouldn't pay attention to her repeated attempts to tell him that she was going to puke. Quinn told her that he deserved what he got, and Brittany tended to agree.

She ignored her texts for now and put the phone back down on the coffee table. She needed to have a talk with Santana to find out what they were going to do about this situation. She already knew that Quinn was going to grow more suspicious with time. And hell, Rachel was already convinced something was going on. It was just a matter of time before Kurt caught on, and Santana was already going to tell her parents. Brittany needed to know who could know and who couldn't.

She went into the kitchen where Santana was gathering ingredients to make what Brittany figured would be pancakes. She walked up behind Santana and wrapped her arms around her waist, leaning her chin on the brunette's shoulder. Santana leaned back into her, resting her hands on Brittany's arms.

"I don't think I would qualify this as helping me make breakfast," Santana said with a chuckle.

Brittany hummed happily in her throat and pressed a kiss to Santana's neck. "I dunno, I think this is pretty helpful. I am giving you support."

Santana laughed. "Different kind of support, Britt."

"Eh, who can remember the right words when they have so many different meanings."

Santana turned in Brittany's arms and wrapped hers around Brittany's neck. She looked happily up at her. "You're right, baby."

"Uh-huh," Brittany murmured and nodded, leaning down to kiss Santana.

"I like this," Santana whispered against her lips.

"What?" Brittany asked curiously.

"Being here with you like this. Us waking up together and making breakfast and being able to just hold each other and kiss and… just, everything," Santana explained. "And calling you baby, because you're my girlfriend."

Santana's eyes were sparkling with the last thing she said. Brittany understood. It was the little things that sometimes made everything seem so much bigger and more important. The little things that said, 'hey, this is real' and sent your heart into funny little flutters whenever you thought about them.

Brittany brought a hand up and caressed Santana's cheek. "I like it, too. So, so much."

"Good."

Santana gave her another quick peck before stepping out of her arms and turning back toward the counter to work on breakfast. Brittany stood and watched her work for a moment.

"Hey, San?"

"Hmmm?"

"I know we are keeping our relationship a secret because of your work, but we are allowed to tell some people, right?"

Santana froze, her eyes locked on the bowl she had been moving. "Uh. I mean… I didn't really-"

She broke off and took a deep breath and let it out slowly, dropping her head down. Brittany felt uncomfortable, hoping that Santana wasn't about to tell her that they couldn't tell anyone because she wasn't sure she was able to do that. Santana suddenly stood up straight and turned to face her.

"I understand that we can't be a secret from everyone, Brittany," Santana began. "But we still need to be careful. I can't risk my job if the wrong people find out. So we just need to decide who the right people to tell are, okay?"

"I get it, Santana," Brittany said, grabbing Santana's hands in her own for emphasis. "I don't want to do anything to cause you to maybe lose your job. But I want to tell my parents and my- our friends that we are together and so happy with each other. I don't want to lie to people when they ask what I am doing on the weekend, or keep telling Quinn that when I don't answer her calls that I was exercising, or in the shower, or whatever. I know we can only tell people that we trust, but there are people that we can trust, baby."

Santana looked down at their clasped hands. "It scares me, Britt. It scares me to know that people are going to know about me. I mean, Rachel already knows and I am pretty sure she has figured out that we're dating. And then my parents obviously, but I knew I had to come out to them someday. It is just happening all so quickly, and it is overwhelming."

"Oh, Santana," Brittany cooed gently. "I know it is. And I'm not asking you to yell it from the rooftops, but you would be okay with telling the people most important to us, right?"

Santana looked up at Brittany, and she could see the apprehension in her gorgeous brown eyes. "We're not talking about a lot of people, right?"

Brittany gave her a reassuring smile. "Well, I was thinking mostly just Rachel, who you said probably already knows, your parents, Kurt, my parents, and Quinn."

Santana tensed at hearing Quinn's name. "I don't know about Quinn. She doesn't like me, and I'm afraid she would blab just to spite me."

Brittany did know that Santana and Quinn didn't see eye to eye, but she truly believed that Quinn wouldn't go around telling people out of respect for Brittany. It was just that Santana didn't know that.

"She wouldn't. Even if she isn't necessarily your biggest fan, which, to be honest, I don't really understand because I think you guys would be great friends if you just really talked to each other, she wouldn't hurt you like that because that would mean she would be hurting me. And Quinn wouldn't do that to me, I promise."

Santana looked up to the ceiling and did a little dance of frustration. It made Brittany smile, even if it wasn't necessarily a good reason why she was doing it.

Santana let out a breath and then nodded. "Okay. Okay, we can tell them."

Brittany grinned. "Okay. Good."

"Okay."

Brittany laughed, making Santana crack a smile. "I believe my girlfriend still owes me breakfast."

"Oh, really? Maybe you should find her and let her know," Santana teased.

"Or maybe she can just forget about breakfast for a little bit longer so I can take her back to bed and show her how much I learned last night," Brittany suggested, wiggling her eyebrows.

Santana's eyes darkened and locked onto Brittany's lips as she bit her own plump, lower lip. "I think my girlfriend has a pretty good plan."

Brittany took off toward the bedroom, giggling as Santana chased her. Clothes were quickly discarded and they fell onto the bed, Santana quickly taking a position of control. Brittany happily let her, and they both took delight in making the other tumble over the edge.

Later, Brittany followed Santana back out to the kitchen. This time they only wore t-shirts and panties. Brittany fetched the ingredients Santana asked for while the Latina cooked them pancakes and bacon. Their breakfast ended up being more of a lunch, but neither of them particularly cared.

The rest of the afternoon was spent cuddling and making love, until Santana's parents called and asked if Santana wanted to go out for dinner. They decided it would be best of Santana went alone for tonight, so they didn't risk her parents becoming more suspicious. Santana wanted to wait until their last evening in town to tell them, just in case, for some unfathomable reason, it didn't go well. Brittany agreed, not wanting to push her into anything faster than she was ready to go. Santana was already astonishing her with her bravery, and Brittany couldn't ask for much more.

So Brittany reluctantly left Santana and headed home. She was looking forward to taking this next important step for their relationship. She honestly couldn't imagine things going much better for her and Santana right now. She was fully convinced that they had a bright future to look forward to.

 **A/N: So, big chapter right? We had their first time sexy times, we had realizations of how deep feelings go, we had adorable couple moments, and we had some big, important decisions. What more could you guys want? lol**

 **I hope this makes you guys feel better after the ending to the last chapter. If not, I guess y'all can still kick me in the shin or something. But please don't :/**

 **Any other thoughts or comments? What do you think Santana's parents are going to say when she talks to them? What about Quinn and Rachel and Kurt?**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Monday saw Santana with Brittany still on her mind. Brittany seemed to always be on her mind though, so that wasn't anything new. But she was actually supposed to be working instead of daydreaming about the amazing weekend they had, or thinking about the things she could be doing with Brittany instead of being at work.

God, Santana never knew that sex could be so amazing. So fulfilling. So intimate and revealing. So fun. So connecting. She thought those things were reserved only for books and movies, and weren't for real life. But Brittany had opened her eyes, in more ways than one. Sex with Brittany was better than Santana could have ever even hoped or imagined.

Sex with Brittany was way more than just sex.

She tried to force herself to get back to work. She had spent most of the morning texting back and forth with Brittany. Her _girlfriend_. The word still put a goofy grin on her face. But she had told Brittany about thirty minutes ago that she needed to get some phone calls made in order to track down some leads for a few of her clients. Instead, she had sat staring at the few pictures she had of Brittany or them together on her phone.

Santana was pulling up her favorite, which was the one where Brittany was lying on the couch with a soft smile on her face as she looked at the camera, when her phone rang in her hand. She jumped, startled by the noise. It was Rachel calling her.

She sighed, not wanting to stop her daydreaming, but she knew that she should actually do something productive today. And talking with another one of her clients counted as productive, even if said client was her best friend, right?

"Hello, Rachel."

"Santana. I am pleased you answered my call," Rachel replied. "I was wondering if maybe you would like to go out for dinner tonight with Kurt and I. Brittany can come too, obviously."

Santana wasn't surprised at Rachel hinting that Brittany would be invited because Santana wanted her there. She knew her friend knew that something was up with them, but she hadn't told her exactly what yet.

"I can't," she answered. "I am having my parents over for dinner at my place tonight, since this is their last night in the city."

"Oh, well that is nice that you are spending so much time with your parents during their visit. I did think that they were leaving today, so pardon my mistake," Rachel rambled.

"No, my dad had conferences all day today, so they were going to relax tonight and fly out in the morning," Santana explained. "It's no problem though. Maybe we could go out later this week instead?"

"I think that would be nice," Rachel said. There was a short pause as it seemed like Rachel wanted to say something else.

"What, Berry?"

"Nothing," she said quietly. "It's just… I'm your best friend, Santana. And I know that things have changed since Brittany came, but I feel like I haven't seen you in awhile. And I miss you. And I just want to make sure you know that you can still tell me anything."

Santana felt herself smiling at the sincerity coming from her friend. She knew that she had kind of been neglecting Rachel recently with Brittany turning her life upside down, and she honestly had missed Rachel as well. She knew that she needed to talk with her.

"Have you eaten lunch yet?"

"No," Rachel replied.

"Why don't you meet me here in about thirty minutes and we can grab lunch?"

"Really? That is so great! I will be there soon!"

Santana rolled her eyes but said her goodbyes and disconnected the call. Rachel bounded into her office a short while later, and Santana grabbed her things and they headed to a restaurant a few blocks away that had vegan food that Rachel liked.

"I'm sorry we haven't gotten to hang out as much lately," Santana apologized after they had placed their orders.

"It's okay, really," Rachel said honestly. "I understand that you and Brittany are really close now, and I get that."

Santana looked down at her lap guiltily. "Listen, Rachel," she began. "Brittany and I…"

She trailed off and took a deep breath to try to calm her nerves. It wasn't like Rachel didn't already know that she was into Brittany. It was kind of ridiculous that she was nervous about confirming Rachel's suspicions that something more was going on between them.

"Brittany is my girlfriend," she finally got out quickly.

There was complete silence. Santana looked up to find Rachel staring at her with a giant grin on her face. Seeing that made Santana's lips start to turn up into her own smile.

Rachel brought her hands to her mouth and squealed as she did a little dance in her seat. "Oh my God, Santana! I am so, so happy for you! For both of you! When did this happen? How long have you been dating? Have you told your parents?"

Santana couldn't help but let out a relieved and amused laugh. She felt so much better getting that off of her chest. "Jesus, Berry. Relax a little, okay?"

"I'm sorry, I am just so excited for you!"

Santana gave her a grin. "I'm really excited, too. And we have been dating for about a month now, but I just asked her to be my girlfriend Saturday night and she said yes. And I am telling my parents tonight," she finished on a much more nervous note.

"I'm sure it will go perfectly," Rachel said. "Is Brittany going to be there?"

Santana shook her head. "No, I wanted to do it by myself, just in case something happens. But they met her Saturday night when we all went out to dinner and they really liked her."

Rachel gave her a surprised look. "She met your parents already?"

"Yeah. Apparently I talked about hanging out with her a lot to my mom, and my parents wanted to meet her."

Rachel looked thoughtful. "Do you think they know?"

"I think they might. But I don't want to assume anything just in case, you know?"

Rachel nodded sympathetically. "I'm sure everything will be fine. And I am always here if you need to talk."

Santana acknowledged her with a small smile.

"So, is being in a relationship with a woman everything you thought it would be?" Rachel asked her with a mischievous look on her face.

Santana chuckled and shook her head slightly. "It is even better, Rachel. Like, she is so perfect and I can't believe she's my girlfriend."

They continued to gush over Santana and Brittany's new relationship over their lunch and then Santana returned to work. She was feeling a lot lighter already, just from having told one person about her and Brittany. She was actually able to accomplish some work in the afternoon before the nerves started to creep in as she got ready to go home for the evening.

She planned on making something easy for dinner. A recipe she had learned from her mother and grandmother as a child, and something that she always considered comfort food. She prepped the casserole and threw it into the oven once it was preheated. Then she changed into some skinny jeans and a v-neck t-shirt.

Her parents arrived about fifteen minutes prior to the dinner being finished. Her father handed her a bottle of wine while her mother told her that dinner smelled good. She set her father on opening the wine while she set the table.

Once she got the casserole out of the oven, she took a sip of her wine and tried to relax. There was nothing else to concentrate on now, other than talking with her parents and eating dinner. So the thought about revealing her sexuality and relationship with Brittany was at the forefront of her mind.

"Thank you for having us over for dinner, mija," her mother said as they dug into their meal.

Santana smiled nervously and took another sip of her wine. She really didn't want to get drunk before she dropped the big news on them. She forced herself to take a bite of her food, and she was so grateful to herself for making it tonight because the comfort food did its job. She started to relax, enjoying just spending time and eating with her parents.

The conversation was light and pleasant. At least until Santana finished her last bite. She knew that she needed to bite the bullet.

"Dinner was delicious," her father complimented.

"Thanks, papi," Santana smiled at him. She took a deep breath and let it out slow. "So, I have something I need to tell you guys."

"Is everything okay, Santana?" Maribel looked at her with concern.

"I think so. At least I hope you will think so, too," Santana said. "The thing is, I have something I have been keeping from you for awhile now. And it has been hard to not tell you, but I just wasn't ready yet. But now, there is something in my life that means I just can't keep it from you anymore."

Her parents were watching her closely, a slight look of concern on each of their faces. Santana wondered what exactly they thought she was going to reveal.

"Mami, papi… I'm a lesbian," she revealed, her heart pounding in her ears and her breath seeming to all escape from her lungs as she got the words out.

She watched her parents' faces as their expressions melted from concern to relief, and then, to Santana's surprise, happiness and a little bit of amusement. Maribel and Javier looked at each other, and they both grinned. Santana knew for sure now that they had known.

"You knew," she stated, wanting to confirm that fact.

"Of course we knew," Javi told her gently, reaching out and laying a hand comfortingly on her arm. "You're our daughter."

"But… how?"

Santana was legitimately confused how they knew. She hadn't told anyone, or given any sort of hints that she could remember. So she really didn't know how they knew. Yes, she had suspected they knew something was up after they had all had dinner with Brittany, but she thought that they had maybe gotten a hint based on her interaction with the blonde that night. She hadn't really expected them to have known before then.

"Oh, we suspected it when you were little," her mother chimed in. "You always talked about all of the little girls in your classes and how pretty they were and how much you liked spending time with them. It didn't change much until you got to middle school, and that was when you started to clam up with sharing everything with us. When you started dating boys and gossiping with all the other cheerleaders about who you thought was the cutest guy in school, we thought that maybe we had been wrong."

Santana listened in a bit of a daze, not realizing that she had been so transparent about her preferences when she was little. Particularly since she hadn't even known what she had been feeling back then. It really wasn't until high school, when she was expected to gush over guys and how tingly they made her feel that she started to think that maybe she wasn't like the other girls. But she tamped it down as much as possible, not even wanting to think about it, and that was probably when her parents thought that they had been wrong.

"And then you went away to college and things hadn't changed much," Javier continued. "We thought you would pick a guy and settle down soon. And when you just stopped dating completely one day and seemed uninterested in it anymore, despite your mother's attempts to get you to be open to a relationship, we thought that maybe we had been right to begin with."

Santana's brows scrunched. Seriously, her parents knew her better than she had ever even imagined. She thought she had been keeping a secret from them for so many years, and it wasn't very secret.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because we weren't exactly sure," Maribel explained. "You never talked about dating anyone, much less a woman, so it wasn't like we could confirm it. Besides, we didn't want to try to coerce you into telling us before you were ready, if you were going to tell us. Though we are incredibly glad that you finally did."

"Thank you for that," Santana said sincerely. "I wasn't ready before."

"But Brittany makes you ready now, right?" Javier asked with a mischievous smile and a twinkle in his eye.

The grin that took over Santana's face was blinding. She was sure that her parents could easily tell how much the blonde meant to her already.

"She does," she confirmed.

Maribel squealed happily, and Javier grinned.

"Oh, mija! We are so happy for you," her mother enthused.

Santana was quickly swallowed up by hugs from her parents, who wrapped around her from both sides. She could never remember feeling more at ease and comfortable and just plain loved. She was glad that she finally had the courage to tell her parents, because it turned out that it was one of the best things she had ever done in her life. And she had Brittany to thank for a lot of the courage she had found, as well as the happiness.

"I'm really happy too, mami," Santana gushed. "She is just so amazing and beautiful, and I don't even know how she chose to be with me."

"She chose you because you are those things as well. And more," her father told her. "We think she is perfect for you."

"We really do," Maribel confirmed. "But, can I just ask, was there no other special girl before her that made you comfortable enough to tell us?"

Santana shook her head as her parents returned to their chairs. "There was no other girl at all before Brittany."

Her parents looked surprised by this revelation.

"I wasn't really ready to be out there after I finally admitted to myself that I was gay," Santana hurried to explain. "It was Brittany who made me realize that I couldn't keep hiding. She gave me the courage to be myself. Well, it was also a lot of the fact that I couldn't help but have these feelings for her, and those feelings forced me to be unable to hide it anymore. From myself or others."

Her mother gave her a gentle smile. "Well, whatever the reason, we are both happy that you felt like you could tell us and that you could introduce us to Brittany."

Santana laughed. "You didn't give me too much of a choice. You practically forced me to bring her along."

"I'm sorry," her mother said unapologetically. "It was just she was the first girl you had talked about to me or your father where I could just tell that she meant more to you than a friend. You never talked about Rachel or anyone else like that, ever."

Santana felt her cheeks heat as she smiled shyly. "Yeah, well, Brittany is the only one I've ever felt like this about. I guess I couldn't keep it inside."

"We're glad you couldn't," Javier said.

They talked for a little bit longer before her parents pleaded exhaustion and headed back to their hotel for the night. Santana would be at work when they left for the airport, so they said their goodbyes then. Her parents once again told her how much they liked Brittany and that they couldn't wait to see them both again soon.

After she closed the door behind them, she felt exhilarated. This night had gone better than she had hoped. And she wanted nothing more right now than to share it with Brittany.

She went and found her phone, which she had left on the kitchen counter. There was a text from Rachel wishing her luck for the evening, and one from Brittany asking to let her know how things went and that she was sure everything would be fine. Santana was just about to text a reply when the overwhelming urge to see the blonde took over her.

So she grabbed her purse and keys and headed out the door.

The whole trip she just kept smiling and thinking about Brittany. The woman truly had made her life better and brighter in so many ways. If she didn't know that she was falling in love with her before, she definitely would know it now. Because she was head over heels for Brittany. She had fallen hard and fast, and the thought of it didn't even scare her anymore. She was too happy to be scared.

It didn't take her long to reach Brittany's apartment. She knocked repeatedly on the door, anxious for her to open it. When she finally did and saw who it was, Brittany's face morphed into a smile.

Santana couldn't hold back anymore. She launched herself into Brittany's arms, holding her tightly. Her emotions were running high, and it overwhelmed her. She found tears starting to creep out of the corners of her eyes, and she buried her nose into the crook of Brittany's neck.

"Shhh, Santana," Brittany cooed. "It's okay, babe. I've got you."

Brittany hugged her back just as hard and pressed kisses into her hair. She pulled Santana all the way into the apartment and kicked the door closed behind her. Never releasing her hold, she led them to the couch where she pulled Santana into her lap and let her cry.

"It's going to be okay, San. I promise."

Santana then realized that it probably looked like things had gone horribly, what with the way she just attacked Brittany once she opened the door and started crying. She shook her head against the blonde and pulled back enough to look at her with a smile.

"Everything is okay, Britt," she said happily. "They already knew, and they were so happy that I finally told them. And they absolutely love you and can't wait for us all to get together again."

Brittany smiled softly at her and brought her hands up to wipe away Santana's tears with her thumbs. "Then what's with the tears? You totally had me freaked out."

Santana grasped one of Brittany's wrists and turned her head to press a kiss to her palm. "I'm so sorry, sweetie. They are happy tears. I was just so relieved and happy, and when I saw you it just all kind of hit me at once and I couldn't stop them."

"It's okay," Brittany reassured her. "Just maybe try and not do that again for awhile. I don't think my heart can take it."

Santana let out a laugh, making Brittany give a relieved chuckle.

"I promise."

"Good," Brittany said.

She leaned forward and kissed Santana softly. Santana's tears had stopped now, and her stomach filled with the butterflies that only Brittany could make appear. Brittany went to pull back, but Santana followed and brought her hand up to the back of the blonde's neck to keep their lips pressed together.

She deepened the kiss, and Brittany eagerly responded. Their tongues stroked each other and Santana felt her arousal growing. God, she never knew she could feel like this. Like she could never get enough of someone. She could never grow tired of Brittany's kisses. Of her touch. Of her body. Of her heart. She just hoped that Brittany would one day give it to her, the same way she knew Brittany already owned hers.

She almost blurted out right then against Brittany's lips that she loved her. But she knew it was too soon for that. She didn't want to scare Brittany away. Especially not since they had just started officially being a couple.

So Santana pressed her lips harder into Brittany's and things started to really heat up. Brittany snaked her hands up the back of Santana's shirt and her blunt nails scratched at Santana's skin lightly, making her shiver.

She brought her own hands down to Brittany's breasts. She cupped them in her hands, absolutely loving the feel of them. She had never known how much she actually loved boobs before Brittany. She could play with them all day. And the way Brittany moaned into her mouth as she massaged them made her think that Brittany would be just fine with that.

"Santana," Brittany gasped against her lips.

Santana leaned back to see the desire filled eyes of her girlfriend. Her face was flushed and her lips were swollen and Santana needed her.

She tugged on Brittany's shirt. The blonde lifted her arms so Santana could remove it. Santana's eyes hungrily raked over her girlfriend's taut abs, and she quickly removed Brittany's bra so her breasts were bared to her. She immediately brought her hands back up and palmed them, feeling the hardened nipples poke into her skin.

She dipped her head down and sucked one into her mouth. Brittany hissed in pleasure and pulled Santana in harder. She teased and nibbled the blonde's nipple before moving to give the other one the same attention.

But she wanted more. She needed more.

Santana slid off of the couch and onto her knees on the floor. She unbuttoned Brittany's shorts and tugged at them. Brittany complied in lifting her hips up so Santana could remove them. She slid them off completely while Brittany removed her own panties.

Once the blonde was completely naked, Santana grabbed her lithe legs and turned her so that she was facing her, with her legs hanging off the edge of the couch. Brittany's legs naturally fell open, allowing Santana to settle between them.

She picked one up and rested it over her shoulder and pushed the other further aside so she left Brittany completely open to her. And Santana swore that Brittany was the absolutely most stunning woman to ever exist. Her body was absolutely beautiful, and Santana couldn't believe that she was hers. The scent of her arousal drove her crazy, and Santana could no longer resist to continue to take in Brittany's gorgeous body.

She leaned in and pressed a light kiss to Brittany's folds, making the blonde shudder. Santana decided she wanted to tease, so she started to kiss around Brittany's center, sucking on her thighs, and driving Brittany absolutely crazy.

Finally, when Brittany could no longer take it, she begged Santana for relief. Santana obliged. She brought her mouth to her girlfriend's glistening center and delivered a slow lick. Brittany's legs twitched at the contact, and Santana continued to suck and lick. She drove Brittany higher and higher until she shattered, crying out Santana's name as she came.

Santana gentled her mouth, bringing Brittany down easily. Once the blonde relaxed, Santana pressed more kisses to her thighs before trailing lingering, open-mouthed kisses up Brittany's sexy body to her jaw. She finally ended at Brittany's mouth, where she kissed her lightly, almost like the touch of a feather, while their eyes met. What she had just experienced had been so powerful and intimate, and she felt that anything more than a gentle kiss would have diminished it somehow.

"San," Brittany breathed as she tucked a lock of Santana's hair behind her ear. She seemed to search Santana's eyes for something as they continued to gaze deeply at each other.

Santana could almost swear that she could feel Brittany's heart in her chest as they looked into each other's eyes. After what seemed like a blissful eternity, but was likely only moments, Brittany lifted her head up to kiss Santana again. She pressed her lips to Santana's a little more firmly than before. One lingering peck turned into another, and soon their lips were gliding across each other's.

Brittany sat up, forcing Santana to do the same, and Santana straddled her lap. It allowed Brittany to turn them so she could lay Santana out across the couch. They worked together to remove Santana's clothes, and it wasn't long before Santana was as bare as her girlfriend.

Then Brittany proceeded to make her feel like she was skyrocketing to heaven and was never going to come back down to earth. Not that she wanted to, with the way Brittany made her feel. The blonde practically worshipped her body and made Santana believe that she was made solely for Brittany to touch.

When she finally came, she cried out at the intense release. When she started to come back into reality, she was surprised to find that tears had escaped. Brittany had once again made her feel so, so much that it just overwhelmed her.

"Are you okay?" Brittany asked worriedly.

Santana nodded, unable to speak, and she just took Brittany's face between her hands and brought her mouth to hers and held their lips together in a seemingly endless, innocent kiss. It finally broke when she took a stuttered breath between her lips. She wrapped her arms tightly around her girlfriend and pulled her into her body. Brittany easily settled into her and pressed gentle, soothing kisses onto her neck and collarbone.

It had been such a huge, emotional day. From telling Rachel about their relationship, to coming out to her parents, to realizing she was fully in love with Brittany, and finally to making earth-shattering love with her girlfriend, it all had taken its toll. She started to doze with Brittany wrapped around her, like a blanket of comfort. She didn't know how long it was before Brittany gently woke her in order to pick her up and carry her to the bedroom. She settled easily into the bed and snuggled into the blonde as Brittany crawled in and took her back in her arms.

This was everything she had never allowed herself to hope for and better than anything she had ever dreamed. Santana finally started to realize that she could truly, finally be happy in her life.

 **A/N: So another pretty big chapter there. As most of you assumed, Santana's parents totally knew. But she was able to finally come out to them, which was a huge step for her! And she told Rachel, too! So now she has her parents and her best friend in her corner supporting her. She is slowly making progress in being comfortable with this new change to her life.**

 **And Brittany will have her back, right? At least she looks like she will after Santana came rushing to her apartment and just started sobbing. Before the sexy times ;)**

 **What do you guys think will happen next? More big revelations? Any drama? Any other thoughts or comments?**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Time had passed. It had now been nearly two months since Brittany and Santana became official. And Brittany still couldn't fully believe that it had happened.

No matter how many times they went out on dates and kissed and made love and woke up together she still felt like she needed to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Because being with Santana was the best thing that had ever happened to her. It beat getting into MIT and proving to everyone that she wasn't a bumbling idiot. It beat winning nationals with the Cheerios and the glee club. It beat graduating from college with honors.

Basically, being with Santana gave her the most ultimate high. And Brittany knew it was because she was so completely, head over heels, want to spend every moment of the rest of their lives together, in love with Santana. She wanted to shout it from the rooftops to everyone, but she understood that she couldn't.

They had, however, decided to tell the people closest to them. Santana had informed her after the night she told her parents that she had told Rachel earlier that day. It wasn't too long after that when they went out with Rachel and Kurt and they let the guy in on the secret. He was surprised at first by Santana's reveal of her sexuality, but then he seemed to take it in stride, claiming that he always wondered. Brittany just thought that he was embarrassed that he had no fucking clue and so tried to make it seem like he did.

Regardless, he was just as happy that they had found happiness together as Rachel had been. It was nice to be able to all hang out together and not have to hide how they felt about each other in front of their friends. They still couldn't be very open out in public, but when they got together for dinner or fun at one or the other's apartments then Brittany and Santana were free to cuddle and kiss and give gooey cute looks to each other all they wanted.

Brittany's parents were excited for her as well. They could tell how happy Santana made her, and her father knew from their conversations that Brittany was in love with her. Though he didn't say much about it. He just told her that he was so happy for her, and that she shouldn't wait when it came to matters of the heart.

She told him that it was more complicated than that, but then he got distracted by something on TV and couldn't remember what they were talking about when his attention focused back on her. Brittany was used to it, though, so it didn't matter to her. Her mom told her to be careful since Santana had a say in her career, but other than that she was happy that Brittany had found someone who made her feel like she was on top of the world.

Quinn was another story. Brittany had been nervous to tell her best friend about the most amazing thing that had come into her life. She knew Quinn had been apprehensive about her feelings for Santana to begin with, not to mention how she didn't really trust Santana at the start. But as time had gone on, Quinn had begun to respect Santana and relaxed on her interrogations of Brittany on how Santana was doing with managing her career.

She put it off for awhile, though she suspected that Quinn thought that there was something more going on than just a professional relationship. But Brittany didn't want to keep it a secret anymore about her and Santana's relationship. So, on one of their phone calls where they spent catching up with each other about everything that was going on, she said that she had some big news to share.

"Did you get a big role?" Quinn asked excitedly.

"Uh, no. Not yet," Brittany said. "It actually has to do with Santana though."

"What happened? Did she do something?" Quinn asked accusingly. There was a slight pause before Quinn turned her accusations to someone else. "Brittany, please tell me you didn't?"

"Didn't what?" Brittany asked innocently. She knew what Quinn was asking though.

"Don't play dumb with me, Brittany Susan Pierce," Quinn chastised her.

Brittany sighed and closed her eyes, knowing that she couldn't avoid it anymore. "Santana is my girlfriend."

"What?!" Quinn yelled into the phone.

Brittany winced at the intensity of the sound. "Jesus, Quinn. You knew something was going on, didn't you?"

"Yes, but I never expected that it was so serious," Quinn explained. "I just thought that you guys would have maybe fooled around a little. Or Santana took advantage of your crush on her to scratch an itch or something."

Brittany was offended by Quinn's lack of belief that Santana could ever have the respect for others enough to devote herself to one person. "It isn't like that at all. You just don't understand," Brittany said in frustration.

"Then explain it to me, Britt," Quinn said, more gently now.

"She was scared. She was deep in the closet, and she had never dated a woman before," Brittany told her. "She came out to her parents for me. She came out to her friends for me. She is risking her career to be with me."

"Brittany," Quinn said, seemingly at a loss for words. Which was highly unusual for the well-spoken blonde.

"I'm in love with her, Quinn. I love her more than anyone else in the world, and, after everything she has done just to be with me, I think she might be starting to feel the same," Brittany rushed out in a kind of an awed daze. She hadn't really thought about Santana falling in love with her. But the fact that the woman was doing all of these things just to be with Brittany meant that she had to feel strongly for her.

Holy shit.

"Oh my God," Quinn breathed out. "You… you're in love with her?"

"Yeah," Brittany said shyly.

"I'm happy for you," Quinn said sincerely. "But I just can't help but be worried. Everything you just told me is a major cause for concern, Britt. She is making huge life changes, which leads to rocky relationships. Not to mention you guys putting her career on the line just by being together. It's just a lot to handle."

"I know!"

Her sudden exclamation was followed by an uncomfortable silence.

"I know," she repeated, quietly this time. "Believe me, I think about it all the time. But things with Santana are great, and she is so awesome. And I may be selfish for feeling this way, but I can't give her up unless she tells me to let her go."

Quinn sighed. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Brittany gave a humorless chuckle. "Not really. But as long as I have Santana then I think I can make it through anything."

"And if she says she can't do it anymore? Or if she is about to lose her job because of this?"

"Please, don't do this," Brittany practically begged.

"Brittany," Quinn began, then stopped abruptly. "You know what? You're right. I really am happy that you have found love. And I hope that she feels the same way about you. Just, call me if you ever need me?"

"I promise."

That had been a couple of weeks ago. Since then, Quinn had been supportive but had veered off the subject of her and Santana's relationship usually. Brittany understood it was because she didn't want to continue to be a pessimist about it, and it was okay. She only wished that her best friend could be happy for her without conditions.

Because she and Santana really were doing well. Sure, they still had to go out on dates mostly in secret. They ended up staying in a lot, which was really okay with Brittany. They had gone back to Sal's a few times, and Sal seemed to light up every time they walked into the restaurant. Santana had told him of their official relationship status, and he was overjoyed. He gave them their meal completely free, along with a bottle of champagne.

Sometimes things got a little stressful when they did go out in town. Santana seemed to constantly be looking over her shoulder, and Brittany found herself doing the same. Those nights were often very tense, and Brittany was exhausted by the time they ended the evening. She noticed herself cuddling into Santana more than usual then, especially if they spent the night together. That was happening more frequently as well, though Santana was starting to become worried that people would start to see how often they were at one another's places, particularly early in the morning.

The stress was getting to be a lot. Sneaking around like this was not Brittany's idea of a good time. I mean, it was okay and she could see how people found it intriguing. But Brittany was just a pretty honest person. She didn't see the point in being deceitful unless she was protecting someone, as she was doing with Santana now.

It didn't stop her from wanting to be able to hold Santana's hand as they walked down the street, or kiss her goodbye if they had to go separate ways in public. She hoped that they would be able to get there someday. But until then, as she had told Quinn, she would be able to make it through anything as long as Santana was at her side.

Santana had been good for her career as well. She had gone on several more auditions. Brittany had filmed a commercial for a popular grocery store in the state. She had also done another guest starring bit on a crime drama. At least she hadn't been the victim in it.

The biggest thing they had been waiting on was the audition for the recurring role as the dance teacher on that new show in development. Brittany trusted Santana to manage her career without fail. She knew that Santana had been sending her on auditions for smaller parts because, if she got the role for the show, then she wouldn't already be in a commitment for something else that would interfere with the show. Santana was pretty confident that she would get it, otherwise she would be sending her out on bigger auditions.

As it happened, Brittany had gone on that big audition today. She thought it had gone well. They had her read some lines and then they had her dance. After that, they chatted with her for a good bit. They asked her about her previous acting roles and her potential availability and then they just talked with her about a bunch of other, completely unrelated stuff. That had to be a good sign, right?

Santana seemed to think so when she called to let her know how it went afterwards.

"Britt, that is great!" Santana enthused. "It means they really liked you. They want to make sure that you have no other commitments that would interfere with filming, and they were feeling you out to see how they would get on with working with you. You have a really good shot of getting it."

"Do you think so?" Brittany asked, not wanting to get her hopes up. But she was kind of unable to when she heard how excited Santana was for her.

"Absolutely, babe. I mean, obviously I can't guarantee anything, but I've been in the business long enough to know when the chances are good," Santana assured her.

"I just really want this, San."

"I know. And you should want it, because you deserve it," Santana said. "Listen, Rachel wanted to get together tonight with Kurt at her place and do some karaoke or something. Maybe we can go and have a little bit of a celebration for doing well on your audition today."

Brittany smiled, knowing that Santana was trying to get her mind off of the stress of the unknown. It sounded like a good idea.

"Yeah, sure. But can we take over some pizza for ourselves? I don't think I could stand dealing with Rachel hogging the karaoke machine all night while I'm hungry because I couldn't eat her vegan food."

Santana chuckled. "Absolutely, Britt. Pepperoni?"

"Yes, please."

"I'll pick you up at six, and then we can pick up the pizza on the way to Rachel's."

"Sounds good, baby. See you later."

Santana said goodbye and Brittany disconnected the call. She went back to her apartment and showered and got ready for the evening. She didn't put on anything too fancy since they were just going to hang out at Rachel's. A pair of leggings and a loose shirt with her hair up in a messy bun was good enough. Besides, Santana loved it when she was all relaxed like this. And she wanted to have a nice, relaxing evening with her friends and girlfriend.

Santana picked her up right on time. After a brief, but intense, make-out session inside Brittany's door since they hadn't seen each other since the previous day, they made their way to the pizza parlor. Santana had called in an order before she picked Brittany up, so it was ready and waiting on them when they got there. Then they headed to Rachel's apartment.

Rachel was enthusiastic as usual when they arrived. Kurt had already opened a bottle of wine and poured them both a glass when they came into the living room. After eating a couple of pieces of pizza and drinking a couple of glasses of wine, they cuddled up on the couch together while Rachel started up her karaoke machine. Santana snuggled into Brittany, and she wrapped her arms around the Latina's waist and rested her chin on her shoulder as they listened to Rachel sing some Celine Dion song.

Kurt joined in a little while later, and Brittany and Santana had fun making fun of the two of them. Finally, Santana had had enough and took over control of the machine. She picked an Amy Winehouse song and completely killed it. Brittany was in love with her voice as much as she was every other part of her.

Santana coerced her into joining her for a song. They did a duet on a Taylor Swift song, with Brittany providing more back up as a dancer than a singer. It didn't matter, because they were having a great time laughing and singing and dancing and just spending time together.

Brittany filled Rachel and Kurt in on the audition, and they both agreed that it sounded like she had a great shot of getting the part. Brittany started to believe in herself a little more, and worried about it a little less as the night went on. Santana had known exactly what Brittany had needed. Which was another reason why she loved her.

The night was fun and relaxing and she ended up going over to Santana's for the rest of the night. They were both a little drunk, and Brittany was really tired, so they just ended up cuddling and kissing lazily before falling asleep. But that was just as good for Brittany than making love. It was the everyday moments that she cherished just as much as the big earth-shattering ones.

Santana had some work to do the next day, even though it was a Saturday. So Brittany went to the gym and exercised for a little bit while Santana went off to work. They had plans for that night for a date. Santana was taking her to a cool dance production after a dinner out at a sushi place Brittany really liked.

Brittany dressed up for her girlfriend. A nice light green dress with black heels and her hair pulled up into a twist. Santana had the same idea. She was wearing a dark blue dress with matching heels and her hair was up in an elegant bun. Brittany loved Santana's hair down more than anything, but seeing her look all sophisticated and polished like that was sexy, too.

Dinner was wonderful. They talked while they ate, rejoicing in being together like this. They obviously couldn't be too open about anything, but they couldn't help the lingering glances and the brushes of hands. They were at a pretty secluded table though, so Brittany wasn't that worried. If Santana was comfortable, then she definitely was.

After dinner, Santana got them a cab to the show. She put her hand on Brittany's lower back as they walked to the entrance of the theater, and Brittany internally delighted at the fact that Santana felt comfortable enough to do that.

"Santana?"

A voice rang out, making Santana's hand move away from Brittany's back like it was on fire. Both of their heads whipped in the direction of the voice. Brittany saw a vaguely familiar man sending a smirk their way. He was good looking, Brittany supposed, in a kind of Jersey Shore way. But she got a kind of sickening feeling in her stomach.

"Tim," Santana said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard there was a girl in the show who is looking to break into the biz. I thought I'd take a look and talk to her afterwards," the man explained. "What are you doing here?"

 _Oh shit_ , Brittany thought. This was one of the other talent agents that Santana worked with. That's why he looked a little familiar. Suddenly Brittany's sick feeling grew into a full blown nausea.

"Oh, well, Brittany is a dancer too and I got tickets to the show since she wanted to see it. Since she still doesn't know a lot of people in the city, I offered to go with her," Santana lied.

Brittany could see the nerves running through her girlfriend's body. If someone didn't know her as well as Brittany did, they wouldn't be able to tell that she was scared to death. But Brittany could. And she wanted nothing more than to wrap her arm around her waist and give her a comforting squeeze. But this was the one moment that she absolutely couldn't even touch her girlfriend in any way.

She hated it. She didn't know what to do, so she just stood there, watching Santana try to act like nothing was going on.

"Yeah, Brittany's one of your clients, right?" Tim asked, turning his douchey smile to Brittany.

Brittany didn't know if she should respond. She looked to Santana.

"She is," was all Santana said.

Tim looked back to Santana. "It is very nice of you to take her out to a performance like this," he said, his voice unreadable.

"I try to treat my clients well," Santana responded. "I got tickets to the Yankees right behind the dugout for one of my other clients just last month."

Tim nodded, seeming to study them for a moment. Then he gave them a toothy smile. "I understand that. Enjoy the show, ladies. And maybe I will see you later?"

Brittany was unsure as to which one of them that was directed at, but she knew she sure as hell didn't want to be seeing this guy anytime soon. Santana sent him a stiff smile and a nod, and Brittany just smiled at him and gave him a wave as they turned back to head into the theater. Only this time there was no contact between them whatsoever.

Brittany could feel the tension growing between them. She was uncomfortable. Santana was uncomfortable.

"We don't have to go anymore, San," Brittany said quietly. "We can leave if you want."

Santana looked over at Brittany and she could see the swirl of emotions in her girlfriend's brown eyes. "No. It would look more suspicious if we didn't go in and he was looking for us later."

Brittany felt her heart sink. This evening was supposed to have been a nice date, and now it had turned into a tense affair.

"Okay."

They made it to their seats and didn't talk much as they waited for the show to start. Once it did, Brittany was grateful for a reason not to talk. The dancers were really good, and the overall show would have been great had it been seen under different circumstances. Because Brittany found most of her attention drifting to Santana during it instead of watching what was going on on the stage.

After one painful look from Santana, she refused to even look at Brittany for the rest of the performance. Her gaze was glued to the stage, though Brittany knew she wasn't taking any of it in. Or she was looking around them, trying to find the man who had made her so on edge. She could feel the discomfort growing, and Brittany found herself getting frustrated.

And she was getting mad at herself for being frustrated. Because she understood why Santana was freaked out. Hell, Brittany was freaked out for the same reason. But she just wished that Santana didn't let it affect their relationship the way she was. She wished that Santana would have agreed to leave the show so they could go home and cuddle up on the couch and watch a movie together and make love. They could have seen this show another time.

Instead, they were stuck here, getting more and more tense by the minute and Santana kept ignoring her.

Once the performance was over, Brittany followed Santana out of the theater. The woman was walking quickly, watching for Tim. Brittany had seen a glimpse of him in the lobby, but he thankfully didn't seem to have spotted them. Santana overlooked him as well.

They got a cab and went back to Brittany's apartment. Brittany walked slowly to her door, anger simmering under the surface as her girlfriend still refused to even talk to her though she was walking with her. She unlocked her door and opened it, turning to Santana when the brunette didn't make a move to follow.

"Aren't you coming in?" Brittany asked, a little surprised.

Santana gave a small shake of her head. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Brittany's jaw dropped and she could swear she felt her heart crack a little. "You've got to be kidding me."

Santana sent her a pained, guilty look. "I just don't want to risk anything."

"Santana, he isn't here! There is nobody here that you need to worry about!" Brittany said, her voice raised as her anger started to get the better of her.

"Brittany, you don't understand," Santana began, her own frustration becoming evident.

"No, Santana, I guess I don't. But you don't understand either."

"I can't do this," Santana said quietly.

Brittany's heart broke. "Are you seriously breaking up with me right now?"

Santana's eyes widened. "No! No, I just think that maybe we should back off a little for a couple of weeks. I mean, Tim seemed suspicious and he is such a pervert that I'm sure he was imagining us fucking already and if he says anything to my boss then my career is over."

Brittany shook her head, angry tears starting to pool in her eyes. "He didn't see anything, Santana. He has nothing to tell anyone!"

"Please don't yell," Santana pleaded.

"I'm not yelling!" Brittany exclaimed. "If I was yelling, I'm sure Tim would be able to hear it across town."

Santana's own eyes started to glisten with unshed tears. "I can't believe you right now. Are you trying to get us caught?"

"No, Santana. I have no desire to make you lose your job. I just think you are overreacting right now. Telling me that you want us to take a break after seeing someone you worked with when he couldn't have even seen anything that could cause you to lose your job is a little insane," Brittany told her, a single tear escaping down her cheek. She brushed it away, sniffing to try to keep the rest at bay.

"I am not overreacting! Why are you being like this?" Santana asked, letting out an angry breath as she threw her hands up in exasperation.

"Because I'm in love with you!" Brittany blurted out.

Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with a shaky hand as she realized what she said. Santana's arms fell to her sides and she stared at Brittany in utter shock. But now that it was out there, Brittany couldn't seem to regret it. She also couldn't seem to stop the stream of words that followed her confession.

"I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have said that right now. I know we haven't been dating for all that long and I know this thing with us is so new for both of us. But especially you."

"Brittany."

"And I know that this is just risky with us being together. But I can't help how I feel."

"Brittany."

"And I know you probably don't feel the same right now, and that's okay because I can wait. If you are okay with us still being together. Just please don't break up with me."

"Brittany!"

Brittany was finally broken out of her rambling when Santana took a step toward her. She met Santana's soulful dark eyes, and her heart fluttered at the look in them.

"Do you really mean it?" Santana asked quietly.

Brittany nodded. "I do. I love you, Santana."

A big grin slowly took over Santana's lips, showing her dimples as she let out a happy little laugh. "I love you, too, Brittany. I'm in love with you, too."

Brittany's heart felt like it had taken flight as she could feel the love flowing between them now. It had been there for awhile, but she had been afraid to believe it just in case she had been imagining it.

"Yeah?" Brittany asked, a smile starting to spread across her own lips.

"Yeah," Santana confirmed with a nod. "So crazy in love with you."

Brittany surged forward and cupped Santana's cheeks and brought their mouths crashing together. She kissed her thoroughly and deeply. It was a kiss full of passion and connection and love. _Love_.

Santana wrapped her arms around Brittany's waist and started walking forward, making Brittany back all the way into her apartment. She shut the door behind them and they continued to kiss, smiling and giggling happily against each other's lips as the culmination of their confessions started to hit them.

"I love you," Brittany murmured before kissing Santana again.

"I love you," Santana replied, deepening it.

They kissed as best as they could as they kept murmuring it back and forth and as Brittany walked backwards, leading Santana toward her bedroom. She brought her hands up to Santana's hair and loosened her bun, letting the dark curls fall over her shoulders. Santana found the zipper of her dress and started to trail it down. Brittany shrugged it off her shoulders and it pooled around her feet. She stepped out of it and kicked off her shoes, leaving her clad in only a matching white thong and lacy bra.

She felt her shoulder hit her doorframe, and she spun them around so she started backing Santana toward the bed. Santana's lips had trailed down and started kissing and sucking on Brittany's neck, making her shiver with pleasure and arousal.

Brittany unzipped Santana's dress and pulled it down, revealing the Latina's beautiful curves and a black bra and panties. Santana stepped away from her to slip her shoes off and kick her dress away from her ankles. Brittany stepped back into her, bringing their bodies together. She delighted in the feeling of skin on skin and she let her hands roam up and down Santana's soft back as she took her mouth once again.

Santana moaned and Brittany unclasped her girlfriend's bra. Santana did the same, and Brittany broke their kiss to let the material fall from their bodies. Then she led Santana onto the bed and followed.

"You are so beautiful," she breathed, letting her eyes roam over Santana's body.

The Latina's breasts were moving up and down as she breathed rapidly, the nipples pebbling from exposure to the cold air and arousal. Her taut stomach tightened as she sat up to pull Brittany to her.

Brittany straddled Santana's thighs and buried her hands in her dark curls as they kissed deeply. Their tongues caressed each other's as Santana held her against her body. Then Santana trailed her kisses down Brittany's neck to her chest. She circled a hardened nipple with her tongue before taking it into her warm, wonderful mouth and sucking, sending a delicious shiver through Brittany's body.

Brittany's head fell back as she held Santana's mouth to her breasts. A whimper escaped her and her hips rocked gently into her girlfriend's body.

"So gorgeous," Santana murmured against her breast, kissing over to pay attention to the other one. "I love you, Britt."

"Mmmm, I love you," Brittany replied on a hum.

She tugged on Santana's hair gently to remove her mouth from her boobs in order to lean down and kiss her again. She pushed Santana so she would lie down on her back again, and she followed. She lay herself on top of the Latina, their breasts pressing together as she sucked on Santana's bottom lip.

"Britt," Santana pleaded once she released her lip and drew her tongue across it.

Brittany knew what Santana wanted. She wanted it, too. Santana's hands slid down her sides underneath the waist of her thong. She tugged it down, and Brittany helped to slide them down her legs before she kicked it off. She hooked her fingers in the waist of Santana's panties and Santana lifted her hips to help get them off.

Once their remaining clothing was out of the way, Brittany settled herself back on top of her girlfriend. Their bodies started to rock together in an unconscious rhythm, knowing just the right movements for this dance without even being aware of it. Hands and mouths caressed soft skin. Touches turned more hungry and passionate. Whispered words of love heightened each moment.

They drove each other higher and higher, fingers buried in between each other's thighs. One more murmured 'I love you' panted into Santana's ear sent the brunette over the edge. She cried out Brittany's name as she climaxed, sending Brittany falling right after her. Waves of pleasure rippled through her as she tensed in her release, a cry tearing from her throat.

They took comfort in each other's soothing bodies as they came down. Brittany breathed shakily before she rolled over, pulling Santana into her arms. They kissed softly and lazily, basking in each other's love.

"I love you," Santana said once again. "I don't think I will ever get tired of saying that."

Brittany smiled, tucking Santana's hair behind her ear. "I won't ever get tired of hearing it. And I love you, too. More than anything."

Santana smiled such a happy smile, her eyes crinkling up and sparkling. "I'm so happy right now," she said quietly, placing another soft peck on Brittany's lips.

"I am, too," Brittany replied. "So, I am assuming we aren't taking a break?"

Santana's smile faded and she looked guilty. "No. No break. I don't think I could stay away from you to begin with, but especially not now."

Brittany's hand moved to caress Santana's cheek, tracing her thumb over her soft skin. "Good. You really scared me."

"I know," Santana whispered. "I scared myself. But I think we still need to be a little more careful. I don't want to ruin everything by getting fired."

"That's fine, babe. We can do whatever you need," Brittany assured her. "But can I get another kiss?"

Santana gave her a soft, loving smile before she leaned in and kissed her so gently. It made Brittany's heart skip a beat and her stomach flip-flop like crazy. The night had been a rollercoaster, but it ended up being the best night of Brittany's life.

 **A/N: Wow! Another huge chapter! Who thought that Quinn was going to cause more problems? Who thought Santana and Brittany would have had to deal with a situation where they might have gotten found out? Who suspected that love confessions were going to happen?**

 **So Quinn now knows, and all the important people in their lives are aware of their relationship. Quinn seems wary, but is willing to stand by her best friend no matter what. And Santana is clearly worried about her job now. Who thinks they know what will happen next? And all of that drama finally resulted in confessions of love! Yay!**

 **Any other thoughts or comments?**

 **So I will leave you guys with this chapter and take a short break. I apologize but things have popped up in my life recently that require my attention, and I just need to take care of that stuff first. I want to reassure you all that this story has already been completely written, so it will not remain unfinished. I just will not be able to post for about a week or so. Maybe next Friday at the earliest. In the meantime, send me your reviews and messages, and I will do my best to get back to you all!**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Being in love was incredible. Being in love with Brittany was the best thing that had ever happened to Santana. Her head was consumed with thoughts of Brittany all of the time. And when she was with her girlfriend, all she wanted to do was tell her how much she loved her.

It was hard, but she refrained. Even though they told each other that they loved each other often, Santana figured it would be a little weird if she just kept saying it over and over every day.

It had been two weeks since the incident at the theater. Two weeks of being blissfully, amazingly in love with the most perfect girl in the world.

The only problem was that Santana was stressing out. The only time she felt truly comfortable when she was at either her or Brittany's apartments where they were hidden away from the rest of the world. When she was at work, she was constantly looking over her shoulder for her boss or her perverted co-worker, dreading the day that they would come in and confront her about her relationship with Brittany.

Every time she saw Tim her stomach dropped. He never gave any indication that he knew of what exactly was going on between her and her girlfriend. Based on his actions, he seemed to believe that there was nothing more between Santana and Brittany than an agent/client relationship. But Santana couldn't stop the fear deep within her that was convinced that he knew that she and Brittany were in love and have incredible lady sex. Just the thought of him even suspecting that made Santana feel sick.

If Tim gave any hint of an improper relationship between her and a client to their boss, then Santana was done for. Every single time her boss talked to her or asked to see her, she felt her heart stop. It wasn't until he started discussing something related to work or a different client that she started to relax. But Santana still never even fully relaxed, even after she left her office for the day. The stress stayed with her until she crossed that seemingly magical threshold of her apartment.

It flew away when Brittany took her into her arms and kissed her. Whenever she saw her girlfriend- the woman she loved with every fiber of her being- everything else just flew away.

Unfortunately, it didn't extend to phone conversations. Brittany's soothing presence wasn't able to transfer over distance apparently, and so their conversations when Santana was at work or elsewhere tended to be tense. Santana was worried that someone would peer over her shoulder and see a text they shouldn't have or eavesdrop and hear something damning.

So Santana would often be short with her girlfriend when Brittany said something that could give them away. She always felt terrible, but Brittany understood. Or, at least, Brittany said she understood. But the last thing Santana wanted to do was make Brittany feel bad about anything, much less trying to show her own girlfriend some affection.

Brittany never held it against her, and they never actually fought about it, but Santana just knew that it was taking its toll on the blonde. Brittany's texts became infrequent during the day, and she wouldn't call unless she knew Santana wasn't working. Santana was so mad at herself for making Brittany feel like she couldn't even talk to her, because she should be able to. Brittany should be able to talk to her when she wanted or needed. And she should be able to tell her that she loved her and couldn't wait to see her or anything else that she wanted to tell Santana.

When they saw each other in the evenings, it seemed like there was no strain at all between them. Everything was perfect with their relationship. They were crazy in love and happy to be around each other and nothing outside of their little bubble encroached upon them. They made love in blissful peace and cocooned themselves in their hideout with takeout and movies instead of going out on dates.

But once the new day dawned and Santana left for work, the weight of the world seemed to fall back onto her shoulders.

She was on her way into work now, the sadness of leaving Brittany naked in her bed after a night of fantastic sex added onto the dread of getting to work was making her cranky. She snapped at the barista who took her order that morning for her coffee. She glared at people on the street. She wanted nothing more than to turn around and crawl back into bed with her beautiful, blonde girlfriend.

Instead, Santana had to go to work, the one place she used to love and now couldn't stand. To be around people that she never really liked, but now wanted to scream at every time they deigned to make eye contact with her. Where once Santana enjoyed the time calling connections or giving a client the good news of landing a part, now she couldn't wait to run out of the office as soon as possible.

She got into her tiny little office without getting stopped by anyone thankfully. They must have caught on by now that she didn't want to even pretend at pleasantries. She sat down at her desk and slumped back into her chair. She was already doing a mental countdown as to how long it would be until she could get home and be with Brittany again.

Santana was startled out of her little meditation by the sound of her phone ringing. She was surprised to see that it was her mother calling. It was a little early for her mother to be calling her.

"Mami? Is everything okay?" Santana asked.

"Good morning, Santana," Maribel replied, completely ignoring the question.

"Good morning, mami," Santana said unenthusiastically. "Why are you calling so early?"

"Well, I was just calling to see if you and Brittany were going to come out here for Labor Day in a few weeks. That way your abuela can meet her instead of just listening to secondhand accounts. And we haven't seen you in forever," her mother said.

Santana sighed, not wanting to deal with this right now. She had come out to her grandmother a few weeks after she had told her parents. She had been so incredibly nervous, even after having her parents tell her that her grandmother would love her regardless. Her abuela had, thankfully, been very supportive, if not rather surprised. Once Santana had explained the situation and how she finally knew what love was, the older woman had said that she was very happy for her and she was looking forward to meeting the woman that had stolen her granddaughter's heart.

"Mami, I don't have time right now to talk about this," Santana said. "I have a meeting in fifteen minutes with a client to go over the audition I got them for a movie."

"There is no need to be rude, Santanita," Maribel chastised. "I just wanted to bring it up to you so you could maybe talk to Brittany about it. See if she is able to go, or if she even wants to. You guys might want to go on a little trip of your own or something."

Santana sat up straight. That was actually a really good idea. Just a trip for the two of them, where they could get out of the city and not worry about being recognized by anyone. They could relax and enjoy being around each other and go out in public holding hands or kissing. Hell, even a trip out to her parents' house would give them that opportunity. She would talk to Brittany about it and see what she wanted to do. Taking a trip definitely sounded like something they really needed at the moment.

"That actually sounds good. I will talk to her about what she wants to do, and I will let you know if we are going to come out or not," Santana said.

"Okay, mija. Let me know as soon as possible so I can make plans."

"I will. But I really do need to get ready for my meeting. I will talk to you soon."

"You better, Santana. And say hi to Brittany for me!"

Santana smiled, loving the fact that her parents took so well to her girlfriend. "Will do. And you know she will say hi back."

"Such a sweetheart, that one. Don't let her go!"

Santana felt the familiar flutters in her chest whenever she thought of Brittany. "I don't plan on it," she said honestly.

She disconnected the call with her mother and decided to pull out the file of the client she was supposed to meet with soon. She tried to force her mind into work mode, and she did get into it for a little while.

She met with her client, which went well. She made a few phone calls and was actually in better spirits with thinking about the possibility of getting away with her girlfriend on a little vacation. She was just about to get ready to go grab some lunch when her phone rang.

"Santana Lopez."

"Yes, Ms. Lopez," the voice on the other end said. "This is Owen Foley. I am the casting director for Saints Production, and one of your clients, Brittany Pierce, auditioned with us a couple weeks ago for one of our upcoming pilots."

Santana's attention was grabbed and she quickly picked up her pen and slid her pad of paper closer to her on the desk. "Yes, Mr. Foley. Ms. Pierce was very excited about that audition and enjoyed meeting with you all."

"Excellent! You see, Ms. Lopez, we are very interested in offering Ms. Pierce the part of Carly. Is she still available?"

Santana did a little happy dance in her chair, holding in a squeal of joy for her client and her girlfriend. She tried to school her features but was unable to eliminate the grin from her face, and she was sure Mr. Foley could hear it in her voice.

"Absolutely, yes. She is very interested in the part," Santana informed the man.

"Great, that is fabulous. I can send you over the contract with our offer so you can go over it with her at your discretion. We would prefer to have her answer by the end of the week, however."

"That is not a problem at all. I will be in touch," Santana said.

"Alright. Sounds good. I guess I should give the lucky lady a call and let her know the good news," Owen said.

"Actually," Santana began hesitantly, "if you wouldn't mind, I would like to tell her. It's just that she is a friend of mine and I'd like to see her reaction since this is her first big offer. If not, that is perfectly fine too, and I can just go over the contract with her."

Owen chuckled. "That isn't a problem, Ms. Lopez. Tell her the big news and enjoy the excitement."

Santana smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Foley. I will be in touch later this week."

She hung up her phone and allowed herself a little squeal of happiness at the great news. Brittany would be so happy about this. She had really wanted the part, and Santana had to agree that she thought it was a perfect role for her. It was also a huge break for Brittany. If the pilot got picked up, she would have a recurring role with the possibility of becoming a full cast member if she does well. Even if the pilot didn't get picked up, it got Brittany experience and got her name out there even more.

Santana was so incredibly proud of Brittany. Both as her agent, and as her girlfriend. She couldn't wait to tell her. She had half a mind to pick up the phone and call the blonde now, but she really wanted to wait so she could see her reaction. And maybe also be on the receiving end of some gratitude-filled hugs and kisses, as well. Maybe Santana was just a little selfish in that respect, but she didn't care.

She went ahead and left the office to get herself something to eat. After eating a quick bowl of soup, she headed back into the office. She didn't even make it to her door before she heard a voice calling her name.

"Santana!"

Her heart jumped into her throat as her boss called for her. She froze with her hand outstretched to her doorknob and forced a calm expression on her face as she looked up at him.

"Can I see you in my office, please?"

"Sure, Mr. Carter," Santana replied, grateful that her voice didn't sound shaky. She really hated this feeling. But no, today had been a good day. She was going to try to remain positive. He hadn't seemed to know anything about her and Brittany's relationship so far, so what could have changed?

She followed him to his office and sat in an empty chair in front of his desk at his gesture. He shut the door behind them and then proceeded to walk around his desk and sat down in his chair.

"So, Santana," he began. "Things have been going well for you here these past couple of years, have they not?"

"Yes, sir. They have," she nervously confirmed.

His expression was unreadable, which Santana couldn't stand. She could never get a good idea of what he was thinking, even when he was pissed off or really happy.

"I have to say that you have impressed me. You have been one of my best agents, even for someone so young. You get good talent and make some great deals for our company."

Santana nearly breathed an audible sigh of relief. This just seemed to be an impromptu performance review. Mr. Carter did those every once in awhile just to keep tabs on his employees and see how they are doing.

"Thank you, Mr. Carter," she said with a small smile. "I just do my best for my clients and the agency."

He nodded. "So, I was just wondering how things were going with one of your newer clients. Brittany Pierce, I believe her name was?" He looked down at a paper on his desk to confirm her name.

Santana's heart stopped at the mention of her girlfriend's name from her boss. She felt the blood drain from her face and she squeezed her clasped hands tighter in her lap. She needed to handle this calmly and coolly. She could absolutely not give anything away, otherwise she knew she would be walking out the front door permanently today. That is if he didn't already know and was just toying with her.

"Uh, things are going well with- for her," Santana stuttered. "She had an audition for a new pilot for Saints Production and I just got a phone call this morning that they want to offer her the part."

Mr. Carter studied her briefly before he gave the slightest eyebrow raise. "Is this a featured role, or a guest starring bit?"

"Um, it is a recurring role with the possibility to become a permanent cast member," she said.

"And she has only been with us for a few months, correct?"

"A little over that, I think." Santana knew the exact day Brittany walked into her office. She would never forget it. But she didn't want him to know that.

"Any previous acting experience prior to signing with us?"

"No, sir. She actually was a mathematician, and, apart from some performances in high school, had no acting experience at all."

Santana's heart was pounding. She had no idea what was going on here, and she was close to just freaking out on him and confessing everything. She was half convinced that he was doing a slow form of interrogation just to torture her.

"Very impressive," he said, this time allowing his eyebrows to raise in a look of pleased surprise. "You made a good signing with her. I actually got a call from Tammy Whittier today. I'm sure you know that Tammy is one of the producers over at Saints, and she apparently saw Ms. Pierce's audition. She was incredibly pleased with what she saw and said that she hoped to see more talent like that from us in the future. She wants to come to our agency first for actors if she knows we can offer her performers like Brittany."

Santana's heart went from choking her throat to practically bursting from her chest in pride. Pride in herself, of course, because she did make a good decision in signing Brittany. But mostly pride in Brittany for being so amazing, and for showing everybody around her just how awesome she was.

"I'm happy to hear that," Santana said with a genuine smile. "I know she was very excited for the audition and really hoped to get it. I felt it suited her repertoire very well, and so I was confident in sending her on it."

Mr. Carter gave her a nod. "Well, that's all I had for you right now. Thanks for taking the time to talk with me."

A little surprised at the abrupt end to their conversation, Santana said a quick thank you and hurried out of his office. She still didn't know whether or not she should be scared about her boss knowing about anything more going on between her and Brittany. She still wasn't sure if Tim knew anything or not, and if that conversation with Mr. Carter was anything to go by, she was unclear if he had any knowledge or not. It was possible that, since Brittany did so well and impressed the people at Saints, he was willing to overlook any discretions on their part. Or it was possible that he really didn't know.

Or he was still just waiting to drop the bomb on her and kick her out of the office at the end of the day after he guaranteed that his newest valuable asset was set up with a new agent.

Santana truly didn't know how much longer she could take this stress. The fear she had to endure every single day was starting to wear her down. She could swear that she was getting wrinkles and gray hairs, and she was convinced she was going to have a heart attack before she turned twenty-five. Either that or she was going to start getting severe panic attacks.

Santana was not a nervous or timid person by nature. She had confidence abounds, and she always felt safe in the fact that she could hide anything from anybody. But ever since Brittany came into her life and opened up something deep inside of her, she felt as though she couldn't hide anymore. Her emotions had been unlocked and it was impossible for her to shove them back behind those walls that she had built. Because Brittany had destroyed those walls.

That normally would be a great thing, but not when it came to the inability of Santana to cope with the pressure of hiding her feelings at work. She walked quickly back into her office and shut the door behind her. She pulled out her cell phone and immediately went to call Brittany.

Only she didn't want to put this burden on her girlfriend again. She didn't want to upset Brittany about her freaking out again over their relationship and the risks it posed. She stopped herself from dialing and started to pace almost frantically. She decided to call someone else instead who could maybe help her calm down.

"Hello, Santana."

"Rachel, I think I am having a heart attack," she said, tears pooling in her eyes as her chest was tightening painfully.

"What? Santana, what's the matter?" Rachel asked, her concern evident.

"I just- I can't… breathe," Santana panted, pressing her hand hard against her chest, trying to get her breathing and heart calmed down.

"Santana, I need you to listen to me, okay?"

Rachel's voice grabbed her attention. She murmured an acknowledgement as best as she could.

"Okay, you need to sit down and close your eyes for me. Just try and relax a little. Are you sitting down?"

Santana plopped into her chair and leaned back, closing her eyes. "Yeah," she breathed, still panting.

"Good. Good. Now, just keep your eyes closed and try to take in deep, slow breaths through your nose. And just concentrate on my voice and breathe."

Santana nodded, not even caring that her best friend couldn't see her.

Rachel began to sing. The words to Charlie Chaplin's 'Smile' hit Santana's ear, reaching into the oxygen-deprived fog of her brain.

"Smile, though your heart is aching. Smile even though it's breaking. When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by," Rachel sang.

As her friend's beautiful voice serenaded her, Santana breathed in slow and deep. Her brain focused on Rachel's song and controlling her breathing, and soon her heart rate started to slow and her breathing became soft and relaxed. She found herself soothed by Rachel's voice, and she started to enjoy the song. Her panic was forgotten.

As Rachel finished the last note, Santana let out a sigh. Her eyes were still closed.

"Santana?"

"Yeah, Rach?"

"How are you doing?"

"Better, thank you," Santana said sincerely.

"Good. I'm coming in," Rachel warned before Santana heard her doorknob turn.

Her eyes popped open to find Rachel looking at her with love and concern. Her friend entered her office and shut the door behind her. Santana brought her phone down from her ear and hit the end button, and Rachel did the same.

"What happened?" Rachel asked her as she approached, leaning against the edge of the desk once she got near.

Santana ran a hand through her hair. "I think a panic attack," she said on a strained laugh. "I don't know how much longer I can do this. My boss called me into his office earlier to talk about Brittany. I nearly died then, but he just wanted to compliment me on how well she has done with the agency so far." Her voice started to get choked as she fought off tears.

Rachel's brow furrowed in pitied understanding. "You must have been scared to death. You know it is okay to be scared, but if all you are anymore is scared then that's not healthy."

"I can't stand coming in here anymore, Rachel," Santana confessed, her tears finally escaping to trail down her cheeks. "I hate it. I keep freaking out that someone is going to find out and I will lose my job. And even worse that Carter will blackball me from being able to get a job in the city again. What the hell am I supposed to do then?"

"There is always LA. Or maybe Chicago," Rachel suggested.

"While Brittany would be left here. That kind of defeats the whole purpose, doesn't it?" Santana said a little harshly, her frustration getting the better of her.

Rachel shrugged helplessly. "I don't know what to say, Santana. I mean, you aren't considering breaking up with her, are you?"

Santana's eyes widened and her stomach dropped at the thought. She just found Brittany, and there was no way she would ever dream of breaking up with her. Not even for her job. "No! God, no. I don't think I could even go on without her anymore now that I've finally found her."

"Then what are you going to do?" Rachel asked, genuinely wondering how Santana would get out of her dilemma.

Santana let out a tired sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. "I don't know," she said, defeated. She opened her eyes again to look at Rachel. "I don't know. But I do know that I am just going to need more time to figure it out."

Rachel studied her closely in silence. Santana felt uncomfortable as her best friend scrutinized her so closely.

"What?" Santana snapped.

Rachel's face morphed into an expression of sadness, and it sent a painful dagger into Santana's heart. What was that look about? Why was her friend looking as though Santana had just done something really stupid.

"Just… please know that I am always here. If you ever need anything. Either of you. But I beg you, Santana, please don't ruin your dreams. Any of them. There is a solution, so you just need to find it," Rachel pleaded sincerely with her.

It was Santana's turn to study the other woman. She honestly didn't know what Rachel thought she was going to do. But, knowing herself, she probably would do something stupid thinking that it was the only choice. She just really didn't know the way to fix this at the moment. The one thing she could do, however, was trust in Rachel at the moment.

"Okay," she promised, giving the woman a nod. "You're right. And thank you, Rachel. For everything."

Rachel smiled happily at her. "I'm going to hug you now," she warned, spreading her arms as she stepped toward Santana.

Santana rolled her eyes but smiled in return. She hugged her best friend tightly, thankful that she had her in her corner. No matter what, she knew she could count on her.

Rachel gave her a final squeeze and straightened. "You should talk to Brittany about this. Maybe she has some ideas, too," she suggested. "You never know. She might suggest that you try a music career. Which I don't know why you didn't, because you know that I think you are incredibly talented vocally."

"Berry," Santana warned, the use of the other woman's last name a sign that she should back off. "I like what I do, much better than touring around the country and pretending to love every single person that comes into my path just in order to get a record deal on the chance of hitting it big."

"I know your reasons. I just don't necessarily support them," Rachel said. "But it is your life, and I am merely an occasional player in it. And I am glad you let me even be a little part of it."

Santana bit her lip on a pleased smile. She always had a hard time really letting people in. And it had taken a long time for her to really get close to Rachel and let her in even a little bit. As the years went on, Rachel easily became her best friend. Even though the woman annoyed her most of the time, she still respected her talent and appreciated her loyalty. Little did Rachel know that Santana let Rachel in more than anybody else in a very long time. At least, before Brittany came along that is.

"I really appreciate your friendship," Santana said genuinely. She stood up and put her hand on Rachel's shoulder, wanting that connection to make sure she got her points across. "You know that, right?"

Rachel looked down and smiled before her eyes came back up to meet Santana's. She could see the utter joy in Rachel's eyes, and it made Santana feel a lot better for saying that.

"I do," she confirmed. "But thanks for saying it."

Santana laughed. "Don't expect to hear it too often," she teased. "But really, thanks for coming here and helping me out," she said, sobering. "You knew exactly what I needed. However, I really should get back to work or I will have to worry about my job for a different reason entirely."

"Oh, you know you are excellent at your job. You don't need to worry about that," Rachel told her. "But I will go ahead and go anyways. Just make sure you call me if you need me again. And don't forget to talk to Brittany!"

"I will," Santana promised. She walked Rachel to her door and closed it behind her after she left.

She rubbed her hands over her face once she sat back down. She really had a lot she needed to figure out. She honestly had no clue what to do.

Obviously, breaking up with Brittany was out of the question. She wouldn't break her girlfriend's heart over her job, and she wouldn't break her own either for it either. They both would be devastated. But if Santana started to look for a job elsewhere, it could take her out of the city. And, with the huge chance Brittany now had with that show, she wouldn't be able to leave. Which meant Santana would end up breaking their hearts anyways if she had to go.

She sighed once again. Maybe she should just find a different career. The entertainment business was tough and, unfortunately, pretty limited in locations she could really work from. She could always go back to school to be a lawyer or something. They are everywhere. Or maybe she could be a banker or something. None of those jobs appealed to her, but if it meant staying with her girlfriend then she would do it.

But it would also mean giving up a career she truly loved. She enjoyed the wheeling and dealing of this business. She liked making the connections that would help her clients get auditions and land a role. She liked knowing that she was a part of helping someone become successful. She liked seeing her clients' names in lights or on the credits and being a part of the celebration when they got a gig. And she really liked putting people in their place when they tried to pull one over on her and her clients by offering less than satisfactory terms.

God, she really didn't know what to do. If she stayed where she was, she was going to go out of her mind from the stress and the chances would get higher that someone would find out and she would lose her job. Not only lose her job, but most likely lose her chance to work in this city. She wasn't guaranteed to find a good position like she had at Carter elsewhere in the city, and she couldn't go out of the city for fear of losing Brittany. And, if she really wanted to stay at Carter Talent, she would have to break up with Brittany.

Unfortunately, it looked like the best option would be to look for a different job. Whatever it may be. She only hoped it was still doing what she loved and not in a different location. Before she did anything though, she really did need to talk to Brittany about it. Brittany was her girlfriend and the woman she loved. She needed to be a part of Santana's decisions, especially when they affected her as much as this one did.

Her mind made up, she decided to get back to work. There was nothing else she could do right now anyways. She needed to talk with Brittany first.

Santana's desk phone rang, and she knew she had no more time to deal with her crisis.

"Santana Lopez," she answered, unaware that this caller was about to change everything.

 **A/N: Hi guys! I'm back! Sorry I was gone for a bit, but hopefully I will be able to get the rest of this story out there for you guys to enjoy and finish without anymore hiccups.**

 **So, onto the chapter! Seems like Santana is dealing with a ton of stress and not able to handle it very well. Even though she doesn't appear to have gotten caught... yet. Do you think she can come up with a solution that makes everybody happy? And allows her to achieve all of her dreams? Good to know she has Rachel on her side to help look out for her.**

 **And Brittany got the big role! Yay! Santana is clearly excited, and you know Brittany will be too :). But how is she handling all of this stress that Santana is going through? You know it has to be taking a toll on her...**

 **And what about that phone call at the end? Good news? Bad news? Traumatic news? All I can say is that it is a game-changer!**

 **Any other thoughts or comments?**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Just so there isn't any confusion, the start of this chapter takes place at the same time as the start of the last chapter.**

Chapter 20

Brittany woke up alone. She woke up alone, naked in Santana's bed. The scent of her girlfriend and their night of love-making surrounded her, making her smile despite the Latina's absence. She knew that Santana had left not long ago. She knew by the time on the clock and by the feeling of warmth that still permeated the bedroom, Santana's presence hanging in the air. She knew by the tingling she felt on her cheek where she was sure her girlfriend had pressed a lingering goodbye kiss. She knew because she just knew Santana. She was so sure about their relationship and their connection.

She knew Santana loved her. She could see it in her eyes when she looked at Brittany. She could see it in the little intimate smile that Santana only ever gave her. She could feel it when Santana held her hand, or brushed her hair out of her face, or cuddled her, or hugged her, or kissed her. She could feel it when they made love. She could feel it whenever they were in the same room. Brittany could feel her love for Santana and Santana's love for her as if it were a blanket constantly wrapped around her.

Brittany was less sure about Santana's ability to cope with the stress of hiding it from her agency, however. Santana was becoming more withdrawn and unhappy as time went on. Not with Brittany. Never with her. She would stress all day at work and it would take her time to unwind once she got home.

Brittany did what she could to help Santana. She had tried communicating with her throughout the day, hoping that the knowledge of her support and maybe some jokes would help lighten the Latina's mood. Santana started to get snappy at her and Brittany knew that it wasn't the solution. Her constant presence at Santana's place of work was too much, because Santana was trying to separate her personal life from her professional life as much as possible in order to reduce the risk of being discovered. And that was okay. She understood, so she backed off with the texting and the calling.

She found that the best thing she could do was take Santana in her arms the instant they saw each other in the sanctity of their apartments in the evening. She would pull Santana into her and kiss her so softly and sweetly, and her girlfriend's tense muscles would slowly relax and Santana would melt into her. Then, if they hadn't eaten dinner yet, they would talk over some food before they inevitably ended up cuddling on the couch watching a movie or some television. Brittany would hold Santana and run her fingers through her hair, soothing the brunette. Then they would head to the bedroom and either continue their cuddling or, more often, Santana would pull Brittany on top of her and they would make love. All of the stress and the worries would be driven away by their touches and caresses and the ultimate high of each other.

But Brittany hated that Santana felt so out of sorts to begin with. She felt as though it was her fault. Santana wouldn't be worried about her job if she had never shown up in the woman's life to begin with. She felt guilty for turning Santana's ordered life completely upside-down. But she also wasn't. Because she was a little selfish. Because she was in love with Santana, and craved Santana's love in return too much to give her up. Not unless Santana wanted her to go. And even then, she wouldn't go without a fight. She couldn't.

So, until Santana figured something out about how she wanted to deal with the work situation, Brittany was being supportive the best way she could. She wished Santana would talk to her about it, but she was scared to bring it up because Santana wanted to remove herself from her work as much as she could when she wasn't there. She would wait for Santana to mention something about it first.

Brittany rolled over onto her back and sighed. She wanted to fix everything so Santana was happy all of the time. That is all she wanted for her girlfriend. She wanted the best for Santana. Always.

She finally decided she should get out of bed. She went over to Santana's dresser, where she had cleaned out a drawer for some of Brittany's things since they tended to spend more and more nights at each other's places. She grabbed some workout clothes and got ready to go for a run. She wanted to clear her head this morning. She had lunch planned with Rachel, and she didn't think she could handle that with her mind full of more than the usual whirlwind of things.

So she got dressed and she headed to the gym nearby Santana's apartment, not wanting to risk going to a park to run after her mugging. She was fine when she had Santana to run with, but Santana didn't want her running by herself there either. She took some of her frustration of the situation out on the treadmill.

After Brittany was sufficiently sweaty and exhausted, she decided to go back to her apartment to shower and get ready for lunch. Going to Santana's place would just make her miss her girlfriend that much more during the day. Not that she wouldn't miss her by going to her own apartment, considering there were tons of memories they had already made at her place. But her place didn't smell like Santana, and didn't _feel_ like Santana.

That was Brittany's way of coping. Brittany didn't have near the amount of stress to deal with as Santana did in regards to their situation. But the constant pain she saw Santana in did take a toll on her. It hurt her to see her girlfriend hurting just because they were in a relationship and in love. If she could fix it, she would in a heartbeat. And the feeling of impotence, of helplessness she had just beat her down sometimes. And clearing her head and escaping to her apartment, where she didn't feel completely surrounded by Santana, helped center herself some and get ready for the evening when she would have to be strong again. When she would have to shoulder it all and make Santana forget for a little while.

She showered for a long time, letting the hot water soothe her. Then she got ready for her lunch with her old friend. A knee-length, flowy skirt and a loose top was her outfit of choice. Paired with some flats and some light make-up, she put her hair up in a ponytail and headed out to the restaurant Rachel had chosen to meet at. It had been a couple of months since she had hung out with Rachel alone. Usually either Kurt or Santana joined them, but Brittany was honestly glad that it was just the two of them today. She could use someone who understood Santana to talk to about everything. And Brittany thought that Rachel was thinking the same thing, considering that she was the one who asked Brittany to join her for lunch today.

Rachel had picked a restaurant near to Santana's work, since it was one that she and Santana frequented when they went out to lunch during the week and offered a good vegan selection for her. Brittany caught a cab over to the restaurant. She checked her phone to see if Santana had maybe texted her, but wasn't surprised when she saw nothing. She ignored the little pang in her chest at that. She really understood why Santana didn't text her. It didn't mean it didn't hurt.

Rachel was already waiting for her when she got to the restaurant. The little brunette stood up from the table she was sitting at and pulled Brittany in for an enthusiastic hug.

"Hi, Brittany!"

"Hi, Rachel," Brittany replied, not nearly as upbeat as her dining companion.

"How have you been? I feel like we haven't had the chance to talk in weeks," Rachel went on, sitting back down.

Brittany sat in the chair across from her and grabbed her menu. "We just saw each other two days ago," Brittany reminded her.

"I know, but Santana and Kurt were with us and we were all out together. It isn't the same," Rachel explained, waving off Brittany's argument.

She did have a point. Brittany smiled. "You're right. It isn't. And to answer your question, I've been doing okay."

"Just okay? I would have thought you would be ecstatic after your recent mutual confessions of love with Santana." Rachel seemed surprised, but Brittany suspected that the woman was doing a bit of acting. She had known Rachel long enough to tell when she was putting on a show.

"Santana and I are great. Awesome, actually," Brittany said. "I have never felt like this before, and Santana is just so incredible."

Rachel was grinning at Brittany's gushing. Brittany couldn't stop her own goofy smile at the thought of her girlfriend.

"You guys are both adorable when you are together and how you talk about each other when you aren't with one another," Rachel said.

Brittany smiled bashfully and felt her cheeks heat up with a little blush. She gave a little shrug, unable to really express how much emotion she felt within her body for Santana. It was practically impossible.

"I don't think we can help it," she said instead.

Rachel laughed. "I don't think you need to, Brittany. You two are perfect the way you are. And perfect for each other."

"I like to think so."

Their server came over then to take their order. Brittany made a quick selection of a chicken Caesar salad, while Rachel ordered some disgustingly vegan dish that made Brittany scrunch up her nose.

"So Santana hasn't been in touch as much lately," Rachel started. "She only really talks to me or Kurt anymore when we all get together."

Brittany could see the hurt and concern in Rachel's eyes as she said that. It wasn't jealousy over her and Santana's relationship, or annoyance that her friend was wrapped up in her new girlfriend. It was that Rachel was hurt because she knew something was going on with her best friend and didn't know what it was.

Brittany sighed and rubbed a hand across her forehead. She didn't really know what to do in this situation. She didn't want to go into analyzing Santana for Rachel. If Santana wanted Rachel to know everything, then Santana would tell her. But Brittany did need someone to talk to.

"You know about the contract clause about not dating clients, right?" Brittany asked. Rachel nodded. "Well, she has been… we both have been stressing about the possibility of getting found out and Santana losing her job. It has been really wearing us down."

Rachel frowned in sympathy. "I know how Santana can get when she is stressed. It is really hard on her and she tends to lash out at everyone else. How have you been doing with all of that?"

Brittany closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she looked back at Rachel. "I'm doing okay," she said. "It is hard sometimes, when she comes home so broken and tired. I try to help as best as I can, but I feel like I am not doing enough. Like I'm not even really doing anything at all. She won't talk to me at all when she's at work. She won't talk to me about what she is thinking in regards to what she wants to do to about her job when we are together. So I just get her to relax and take her mind off of things."

"She keeps a lot of things inside, so you have to force her to open up. Especially if it is something you guys really need to talk about, which this sounds like it is," Rachel explained, and Brittany nodded in understanding. "But her not talking to you when she is at work surprises me. Because I know how much she misses you when you aren't around. I can imagine that disconnect is hard on you."

Brittany swallowed hard, trying to clear the lump that had decided to show up in her throat. "It is," she admitted, her voice hoarse. "I hate her shutting me out, but I get it. I am willing to do whatever she needs in order to make this work. But I don't want to see her suffer anymore."

"Oh, Brittany," Rachel said quietly, her voice full of sympathy. "She really does love you, and I know she would hate the thought of her hurting you in any way. But I hope you aren't thinking of doing something drastic."

"Like what?" Brittany asked, confused, before horror hit her. "I'm not going to break up with her or anything!"

Rachel's eyes widened in her own horror. "Oh, no! No, I didn't think anything like that! I never thought you would break up with her. I just meant like terminate your contract or something."

Brittany chuckled humorlessly. "I don't think Santana would even let me if I tried. I would have offered, but that was one of the first things she told me never to do. She has my best interests in heart for my career, and I trust her with that. But if it meant that I could make her not worry anymore, I would do it. If it wouldn't hurt her more than she already is now."

"Do you have any ideas on how to alleviate her stress and possibly eliminate the problem?"

Their waiter brought their food at that moment. Brittany thanked him before turning back to Rachel to answer.

"I have ideas, but I don't know if Santana would like any of them," she said in frustration. "She has so much talent and is so amazing, and she honestly could do anything. If she wanted to get out of the talent business, she could be a performer. She could be a doctor. She could be whatever she wanted to be. There are so many things, but I just can't talk to her about any of them."

Rachel gave her a pitying look. "Don't give up though," she told Brittany. "Sometimes it just takes some coaxing to get her to talk. She might be a bitch to you, but if you break through her walls then she will listen to you. Just, don't give up on her."

Brittany had a feeling that Rachel was talking about more than just not giving up on talking to Santana about it. "I won't," she swore.

It seemed like an easy promise to make.

They finished their meal over more pleasant conversation. They said their goodbyes outside the restaurant, and Brittany hailed a cab. Rachel's phone rang as Brittany opened the door, and she could swear she heard the other woman say Santana's name as the door closed behind her. It was too late to find out, however, as Rachel had already started walking away down the sidewalk. She gave her address to the driver and he took off.

If Santana had been calling Rachel during the day, it could have been due to a number of reasons. Maybe she needed Rachel to come in for something work related. Maybe she needed to talk to Rachel about an audition or something. It didn't have to be anything else.

Brittany tried not to dwell on it when she got home. She did a little research on what other career options Santana could maybe pursue and then she decided to watch something on Netflix for awhile.

She got a text from Santana when she got off work saying that she was on her way over. It wasn't unusual that Santana would come over straight after work, but it was more likely that Santana would go home first to change or Brittany would meet her over there. The fact that Santana wanted to see her right away often meant that she had a bad day and she wanted Brittany's comfort. It had her a little worried.

She was up on her feet in an instant when she heard the knock on her door. She pulled it open only to have Santana enter in a whirlwind. This was different. If Santana was in a bad mood, she usually fell right into Brittany's arms.

"Hey," Brittany greeted, turning toward her girlfriend as she closed the door.

"Hi, babe," Santana replied as she sat on the couch.

Brittany furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Oh!" Santana exclaimed suddenly and stood back up. She came back to Brittany and smiled before pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. "Sorry I forgot to do that."

Brittany was utterly lost, but the little kiss helped settle her. Santana was definitely not in a bad mood. She appeared to be in a good mood.

"It's okay," Brittany assured her. She tucked Santana's hair behind her ear and searched her eyes. They were full of light. "What's going on?"

"Come here, sit down," Santana demanded, grabbing Brittany's hand and pulling her to the couch.

Brittany trailed along, not really having much of a choice. She sat down, turning to face Santana who had done the same.

"So, I have some big news," Santana began, almost teasingly. Brittany gripped her girlfriend's hand a little tighter, wondering what on earth this could be. Did Santana find a solution to their problem? Was that why she was in such a good mood? "I got a phone call today. The audition you went on for the feature role in the performance school pilot has been offered."

Brittany's heart thudded in her chest. Was it offered to someone else? But why would Santana be happy about that? "Okay?" Brittany prompted, needing more information.

"You've got the part, Britt!" Santana burst out, a huge grin spreading across her gorgeous mouth.

It took a second for her words to register. When they did, Brittany's jaw dropped and her eyes got so big. And her heart started racing.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, baby! You got it! We just have to go over the details of the contract and give them the signed deal by the end of the week, but it is yours," Santana said, still grinning happily.

Her chocolate eyes were dancing, and Brittany laughed with joy, a smile taking over her lips. "I got the part? I got the part! Oh my God, I got it!"

She started to bounce up and down a little on the couch, making Santana laugh with her. "You did! You did! I am so proud of you," she said.

Brittany stopped her bouncing as she heard the emotion in Santana's voice. She cupped Santana's cheeks and looked deeply into her eyes, a soft smile on her lips. "Thank you, Santana. So much. For everything," she told the Latina sincerely.

"It's all you, Brittany," Santana demurred. "I just got you the audition."

Brittany shook her head. "No. You gave me my passion."

Santana's eyes softened so much that they practically melted, and Brittany couldn't resist anymore. She leaned forward, pulling Santana's mouth to hers and kissed her tenderly. Her lips caressed Santana's gently, placing soft pecks from one corner of Santana's mouth, along her plump bottom lip, to the other corner.

"I love you," she whispered when she pulled back, looking into Santana's eyes once again.

"I love you, too," Santana replied, just as quiet.

A thought hit her then. An unwanted blemish upon her happiness.

"What does this mean now? About us and your work?"

Santana jerked a little in surprise. "Why would it be any different now that you got this part? I mean, nothing has really changed just because you got the role."

Brittany sighed, running a hand through her hair in frustration as she sat back from Santana. "But you are my agent, and now that I have this big part, if it goes through and I become a regular cast member, then I won't need you to be searching for more roles for me, right? At least, not like you have been."

Santana frowned. "That isn't quite how it works, Britt. I will still look for roles for you, because you are my client and nothing is guaranteed in show business. The show could get cancelled, or they could write you off for some reason or another. Or a better role might come along for you. I would still keep looking and sending you out on an audition here and there for other things. And you might get directors coming to me directly wanting you for a specific part. You still need an agent."

"So, in other words, we still have to hide," she said, a little bitterly.

"I don't understand," Santana said, her brow scrunched. "I thought you would be excited about this."

"I am excited about the part. I just am not excited about having to see you come home from work completely stressed and freaked out because you were worried you were going to get fired due to someone finding out about us," she explained, her voice a little hard.

Santana blinked, and it looked like a mask was put over her face. She just sort of became expressionless, and it made Brittany's stomach drop.

"I'm sorry that I care about my career," Santana told her, her own voice eerily quiet. "I'm sorry that I don't want to lose something that I love doing because I broke the terms of a contract for my employment. Which is so stupid of me, of course."

"Santana, no," Brittany began, "it isn't like that."

"Just stop," Santana broke in. "It doesn't matter."

"But it does!" Brittany exclaimed. "I want you to be happy! I love you so, so much, Santana. And it kills me to see you hurting every single day you go to the office because of me. If I had never came into your life, then you wouldn't be so stressed out and you wouldn't have to worry about losing the job you love. I don't want to ever lose you, but I can't help but feel like I am the one causing you all of this pain."

Santana looked at her in disbelief. "Brittany," she breathed. "I love what I do, but it doesn't compare to my love for you. If you hadn't have walked into my office that day, I never would have known what it truly meant to be happy. I want to be able to do something I love for a career, but if I ultimately had to choose between that and you… you would always win. No question."

Tears pooled in Brittany's eyes, and Santana reached out to cup her cheek and brush her thumb gently under her eye, catching a tear as it escaped. "But you seem unhappy," Brittany whispered.

"Not with you," Santana swore, her voice choked with her own tears. "Never with you."

Brittany lunged forward and buried her face in Santana's neck, and they wrapped their arms tightly around each other. Santana tangled her finger's in Brittany's hair and held her close, pressing soft, teary kisses to the side of her head. Brittany's fingers pulled at Santana's tight top as she tried to pull her impossibly closer.

She hadn't even realized that she had been so scared that Santana was getting frustrated and unhappy with her instead of just their situation. But now that Santana had reassured her of something she didn't know she needed to be reassured of, she was feeling so much better. Her tears dissipated and she breathed in the scent of her girlfriend, which calmed her further.

"So what are we going to do then?" Brittany asked against Santana's skin. "I don't want you to keep going the way you are. It isn't good for you. I mean, I can quit acting, or-"

"No, Brittany," Santana interrupted, pulling back to look into Brittany's face. Her dark eyes were filled with a determined fire. "You will not quit acting. You will do nothing to jeopardize your career, okay?"

"But-"

"No, promise me," Santana demanded.

Brittany sighed, but nodded. "I promise."

"Good," Santana smiled softly. "Besides, it doesn't matter."

Brittany frowned. "What do you mean, it doesn't matter? If it didn't matter, then you wouldn't be so worried every day."

Santana gave a little shake of her head, a mischievous smile crossing her lips. "It doesn't matter because I got another phone call today," she said, as if that explained everything.

"What kind of phone call?"

"Well, the person calling was Lou Malcolm. He has an agency in the city that handles a lot of high end clients," Santana told her. "He wanted to have a little chat with me."

Brittany didn't exactly know where Santana was going with her story, but she sincerely hoped it was something as good as Santana seemed to think it was.

"What did he say?" Brittany asked, trying to get Santana to move on with her tale.

Santana just gave her that smile, her eyes sparkling. "We had met a few times in the past at various functions and talked here and there. But he said that he had heard a lot of good things about me recently, and was wondering how I felt about maybe joining his team over at his agency."

Brittany's eyes widened and her heart stopped momentarily as she realized what was going on. "Are you serious?"

Santana chuckled. "Yeah, babe. I'm serious." Brittany sat up straighter, waiting to hear the rest of what Santana had to say. "I told him that I wouldn't be opposed if the offer was right. So he made me an offer."

"And was it good enough? Are you going to go work for him?" Brittany asked eagerly.

Santana grinned and nodded. "Yes! I am going to go work for him and we won't have to worry about me losing my job anymore from us being together."

"Oh my God, that is so great!" Brittany enthused, pulling Santana in for another hug. Then she sad back abruptly, releasing a confused Santana. "But wait, what is going to happen to our contract? To the contracts of your other clients? Of Rachel?"

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that," Santana said. "A lot of my clients will end up staying with Carter and going with a different agent. Rachel's contract is almost up, which means she can follow me. I have a few other clients who will do the same since they have been with me for years and trust me."

"And me? I just signed with you and Carter," Brittany said.

"Yeah, you did," Santana said slowly, looking a little guilty. "You can't break out of the contract with Carter without them penalizing you since Mr. Carter is absolutely thrilled with you. If you are willing, I can set you up with a good agent that I trust there for the remaining months of your contract with Carter. And then, if you want, once that contract is up, you could sign with me again."

Brittany looked at her in surprise. "You mean you can still be my agent in the future?"

Santana smiled happily. "Yes. They don't prohibit dating clients like Carter does. I asked, and he said that as long as it isn't a detrimental habit, then they have no problem with relationships between agents and clients."

Brittany felt like the heavens had opened up and everything was bright and clear again. This was what she had been waiting for. What _they_ had been waiting for. This was what would make everything completely perfect. What would make the light come back into Santana's eyes every day. What would make Brittany's bounce come back into her step. What would make their relationship even stronger, their love even deeper, and their time together even longer.

"This is so amazing, San," Brittany gushed, getting choked up again. "I can't believe it. After all this time worrying, and the solution finally falls into our laps! I am so happy for you. And I will absolutely go with a different agent. But only until I can sign with you again, because you are the reason why my career is even going anywhere, and you are the one who I trust to lead me in the right direction in the future."

Santana smiled shyly and looked down. "Britt," she said softly. "You are the one who has the talent."

"And you are the one who knows how to guide it to where it needs to go," Brittany told her.

Santana looked back up, and Brittany felt flutters fill her chest with that good kind of pain as she saw all the love Santana had for her. "I love you," Santana said.

"And I love you," Brittany replied, hoping Santana could see just how much in her own eyes.

"So you're okay with this?"

Brittany nodded. "More than okay. As long as you are happy and we are together, then I am happy."

Santana smiled so, so big. Her nose scrunched a little, and her dimples were so deep in her cheeks. Brittany kissed one before giggling into Santana's soft skin. Her happiness just bubbled up inside of her and she couldn't keep it in. Santana turned her head and kissed her. They smiled into it and both giggled between pecks, their joy infecting one another as their laughter grew. Soon, they were unable to keep kissing and just rested their foreheads together as their happy laughter took over.

"Is this really happening?" Santana finally asked once their giggles had stopped.

Brittany pulled Santana into her as she leaned into the back of the couch. They shifted so that Santana's back was against her front and she was resting between Brittany's legs.

"It is," she told her girlfriend. "Everything is working out for us now. We have each other, we are in love, and we can both have our careers. Babe, this is real."

She murmured the last words into Santana's hair before she pressed a final kiss into the dark tresses. Santana sighed happily and settled back further into Brittany, her hands resting atop Brittany's on her stomach. Brittany felt more content than ever, now that the problem they had been dealing with for months had finally been solved.

Brittany could let herself dream of a real future now with Santana. She knew that Santana was the love of her life. She could picture her growing old with the woman in her arms. Getting married to her and having a family. Her breath caught in her throat at the picture in her mind.

She never would have thought that coming to New York to pursue an acting career would give her more than just a job. It gave her love. It gave her happiness. It gave her a life. It gave her Santana. And walking into Santana's office that day so many months ago was the best thing that ever happened to her. Despite all of the ups and downs, the rejections, the push and pull, the stress and the joy, Brittany wouldn't change a moment. Because, even though they weren't supposed to have been together, being with Santana was always meant to happen. Being with Santana had definitely been worth the risk.

 **A/N: So there you have it! A happy ending for our girls! This is the official last chapter to this story. I am sorry if that is disappointing to some of you, as I know you guys were really getting into this story. I just have to say that this one was actually harder for me to write, and, without some help from some friends, I don't think I would have ever gotten through it (you guys know who you are). But it is complete, and love it or hate it, that was the story.**

 **HOWEVER, there is, of course, an EPILOGUE! I have to give you guys some idea of what happens in the future :) So that should be up hopefully later this week.**

 **In the meantime, I would love to hear what you guys think of this chapter and how things all ended up working out for Brittany and Santana!**


	21. Chapter 21

Epilogue

"Brittany!"

"Brittany! Over here!"

Brittany smiled as the flashes nearly blinded her from the cameras snapping her photo. She posed as she was supposed to, showing off the light purple designer dress she was given to wear on the red carpet tonight.

"Brittany! Where's Santana?"

"Have you guys separated?"

"Is there trouble in paradise?"

Brittany gritted her teeth and forced the smile to stay on her face as she purposely ignored the pointed questions. This was the biggest drawback to her acting career. The probing and speculative questions into her personal life.

It had all started around six months after Brittany had been offered the role on the show that had been titled "Performance High," since that was what the kids who attended the school on the show called it. It became a huge hit not long after its premiere, and Brittany's character, Carly, became a fan favorite early on. Carly's relatability to the kids at the school and her fun-loving attitude endeared her to the audience, and the writers quickly realized that they needed to exploit that. So her character was given more of a storyline.

Once her popularity took off, she started getting her pictures taken and showing up in magazines or tabloids. The first time it happened, Brittany was surprised. She didn't understand why a picture of her walking out of a coffee shop was worthy of publication.

The second time it happened just pissed her off. She and Santana had been walking through the park on a fairly chilly spring day after feeding the ducks, something Santana indulged Brittany in doing. They were walking comfortably with their arms linked and Santana leaning slightly into Brittany for warmth. It had been a very good day, and, out of the blue, Santana surprised Brittany by asking her to move in with her. Brittany had been so delighted that she enthusiastically replied with a yes and sealed it with a loving, lingering kiss, cupping Santana's smiling cheeks.

She was not happy to find a picture capturing the moment the next morning on a gossip site, speculating on who the brunette she was kissing was and intimating all kinds of things about her sexuality and personal life. Santana wasn't happy either, having not wanted to be thrust into that side of the limelight after deciding on a career more behind the scenes dealing with the talent. It had caused a small argument between them, but in the end, Santana recognized that she would become famous in her own right by being with Brittany and Brittany realized that she couldn't hide everything.

Not that they had been hiding their relationship. They had never been ones for big displays of PDA, but they never had a thought to stop themselves from holding hands or give each other little pecks when not in the safety of their apartments. Once Santana officially left Carter Talent, they relaxed significantly on hiding. It got even better once Brittany didn't renew her contract with them and signed with Santana at her new agency.

Once the press had found out about them and published that picture, Santana told Brittany to use a publicist to issue a release about her relationship with Santana and her sexuality. She made it clear that she was never hiding who she was, nor was she ashamed, especially of Santana. She just wanted to have much of a private life as she could, and Santana even gave interviews as needed for support and to show a solidarity for their relationship.

At first, Brittany had been worried that Santana's former employer may go after Santana for having an improper relationship with Brittany. But Santana assured her that they had no way to prove that a relationship started before Santana left their agency. That helped ease Brittany's mind, but it didn't stop the tension that arose every time another picture of them or rumors about their relationship popped up.

The same kind of tension that Brittany was fighting to avoid snapping at the photographers who were supposed to be getting shots that had nothing to do with her personal life. She knew that the likelihood of these kind of questions was high the instant she stepped onto the red carpet alone. But there wasn't much she could do about it. She turned to give more photographers a better angle, and caught someone walking up to her out of her peripheral vision.

The arm sliding around her waist and soothing scent helped to calm her immediately. She turned to press a kiss to Santana's cheek, taking advantage of the proximity of her lips to Santana's ear to whisper over the excited calls of the photographers.

"Is everything okay?"

Santana gave her a reassuring squeeze around her waist and spoke around her smile. "Yeah, it's fine. Just some stupid last minute stuff that Jerry was freaking over," she said, naming one of her clients who had recently landed a big role. "I'm so sorry."

Brittany turned back to the photographers with a smile as she and Santana walked further down the red carpet. "It's okay. As long as everything is straightened out now."

"Absolutely," she swore. "I promise there will be no more interruptions tonight. My phone is off, like it should have been before we got into the limo."

Brittany chuckled a little, knowing how difficult it was for Santana to be hands off in any capacity of her work. Santana was always very involved with her clients, something that gossipmongers liked to talk about and they would start rumors that Santana was having an affair with one client or another. Brittany knew that nothing could be further from the truth. She just hated having to listen to the lies, and Santana couldn't stand it either.

"Well, just remember for the next red carpet," Brittany teased, sliding her hand down Santana's arm to lace their fingers together. She felt the little jump in her heart as she felt the pressure of the ring on her ring finger of her left hand. It was a miniature version of the jumping jacks her heart had done when Santana had proposed to her. It had come as a complete surprise to Brittany when, early last year, Santana had taken her out on a secluded romantic dinner at Sal's, which had been closed for the occasion, and proposed after a night of dancing on the decorated dance floor.

God, the sex they had that night had been incredible! And they were both amazingly happy. They planned a quick wedding, flew Brittany's and Santana's families and their closest friends down to Hawaii, and got married in a private ceremony.

The ruckus they came back to with the press was a bit overwhelming, but when they confirmed their marriage it died down for a bit. The timing was bad because it was just as Brittany's time on the show really started to take off, since her character had decided to try to go back out and audition for dance jobs again. It was an emotional time for her character, who had started teaching at the school after a devastating knee injury derailed her promising career. It took a lot of encouragement and motivation and struggling for her to decide to take the chance again, and just as it looked as if she would be on her way, she found out she was pregnant with the English teacher's baby. She had to turn down the role of a lifetime, to her devastation, only to have a miscarriage several weeks later. The storyline was a huge one, and the fact that Brittany and Santana had gotten married as it was airing made the public even more interested in them.

They had been married for over a year now, and things were going really well for them. Like, spectacularly well. Brittany was one of the biggest characters on "Performance High" and Santana's client list grew bigger and more star-studded after her move from Carter Talent. She had blockbuster movie stars and Broadway superstars (Rachel Berry, to be more specific), as well as in demand television actors. Santana was one of the hottest agents in New York, and the pressure was on for them both to pick up their lives and move to LA. Neither was clamoring to do so, however, as New York had become their home.

"You doing okay?" Santana's question broke Brittany from her thoughts.

Brittany smiled at her wife, still finding it hard to believe how much her life had changed since walking into Santana's office more than three years before. "I'm actually doing pretty good," she replied, giving a loving peck to Santana's lips before pulling back and smiling at her.

"You ladies are so in love!"

They turned to find one of an entertainment news show's correspondents smiling at them, and he called them over for an interview. After answering some questions about the night and their dresses and how things were with them, they moved on. The red carpets weren't Brittany's nor Santana's favorite thing, but they could actually be pretty fun. They finally reached the end and entered the building where the Primetime Emmys were being held.

They both were able to relax a bit as the press wasn't allowed inside this part of the building.

"I need to pee," Santana said, making Brittany giggle.

"I should probably go, too," she informed her wife, and they made their way into the nearest ladies room.

After taking care of their business, they double checked their hair and make-up, as so many other women were doing. They shared some pleasantries with the people they knew, accepted the compliments aimed their way, and gave compliments of their own to the well-dressed women in the room. They made their way out of the restroom and were ushered to their seats. That was when the nerves really started to hit Brittany.

"What the hell am I doing here, Santana?" Brittany asked, fiddling with the diamond necklace around her throat which was actually a present from Santana for their first anniversary.

Santana took the hand that was playing with her necklace and clasped it gently, lacing the fingers of their other hands together as she looked sincerely into her eyes. "You are here because you are incredibly talented and everybody else is finally recognizing it, Britt," Santana said honestly. "Regardless of what happens tonight, you deserve this, baby."

Brittany felt herself starting to calm, Santana's faith and pride in her giving her the confidence she needed. She had been working so hard on the show. She had even had some smaller parts in some popular movies, but she hadn't wanted to spread her time so thin between Santana and the show and everything else. The show took up so much of her time, and it had become really important to her.

She even had quite a bit of say in her character's development, putting her foot down when the writers wanted to boost ratings by giving Brittany a female love interest when she was at an off-again moment with the English teacher. Brittany didn't want to become one of those "gay for one girl" characters used to grab attention. She was perfectly fine with her sexuality and she had no problem playing a character of different sexuality, but she didn't want to be used as a gimmick. Thankfully, they listened to her and just continued to develop the gay characters they already had on the show, which actually turned out to be great storylines.

The show had hit on some really important topics and resonated with its audience. Brittany's performance had garnered a lot of attention, which was why they were where they were tonight. She had been nominated for an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress. The show had been nominated for other categories before, but she was the first specific actor from the show to be nominated for an individual award. She was excited but overwhelmed at the same time.

As the night progressed, she did her best to concentrate on the show. Santana helped by making comments and keeping her engaged in what was going on, but her wife could tell that her mind was on her upcoming category.

Brittany felt Santana's hand squeeze hers tighter when her category was finally announced. She was grateful for her acting experience as she continued to smile as her name was announced as a nominee along with the others who shared the honor. Santana's thumb was caressing the back of her hand soothingly as they waited for the presenter to announce the winner.

Brittany swore that it was the longest few seconds of her life. She pasted on a fake smile as she waited, and it wasn't until she heard Santana's delighted squeal next to her and felt her arms wrapping around her shoulders that she realized that her name had been called.

She had won.

Oh my God, _she had won_!

She felt the grin spread across her face as she squeezed her wife tightly. Santana was murmuring words of love and pride in her ear and Brittany was content to just bask in the joy of that moment.

It wasn't until Santana told her to go that she realized they were expecting her to go up to the stage and accept her award. She rolled her eyes at herself and chuckled, making Santana laugh through her happy tears. Brittany cupped her wife's cheeks and kissed her tenderly before she stood up and made her way to the stage accompanied by the applause of the audience.

She was so incredibly excited. It definitely was one of her top five moments of joy, and she was happy that this one was able to include Santana as well, since all of the other ones did. She stumbled up the stairs a little bit in her haste to get up them, but didn't fall. She was on a giddy high, and she didn't even care that she probably just looked like a fool.

She walked to the presenter and accepted the Emmy from him, grinning in thanks as she turned to the microphone.

"I guess I'm supposed to say something," she joked, her voice quivering as her emotions started getting to her. The audience chuckled to her relief. "I honestly don't know what I'm doing up here. I'm just a girl from Ohio who almost failed high school but graduated with honors from MIT. I had a talent for dancing and I confused a lot of people with what I said, most likely due to my unique parents. I love you, mom and dad! But I should never have been an actress."

She looked down at the award in her hand before she looked back up into the audience. "I knew I wanted more than a life of doing equations, so I took a chance and risked everything to go to New York and try my hand at acting, much to my best friend Quinn's dismay. I begged a favor from a high school friend- hi, Rachel- who referred me to her friend and agent. And it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me."

She locked eyes with Santana. Her wife's brown eyes were overflowing with tears and her hands were pressed together in a prayer position in front of her plump lips. Brittany's own tears started to fall down her cheeks as she smiled lovingly at Santana.

"Not only did this agent launch my career and help me get the role for which I am standing here tonight, but she made me realize what love truly is," her voice was choked with emotion, her eyes never wavering from her wife's as her happiness and love swelled. "I love you, Santana Lopez. This award is because of you. Thank you for giving me my career. Thank you for giving me your heart, and accepting mine in return. Thank you for marrying me. Thank you for getting pregnant with our baby."

There was a hush that fell over the audience briefly, and, at Santana's widened eyes, Brittany realized what she had let slip. The cheers and applause started, but it wasn't until Santana smiled big at her and nodded that Brittany relaxed and grinned back.

"I know I wasn't supposed to say anything, so oops!" Brittany joked. "But you just make me so, so happy and I'm sorry for letting the cat out of the box or whatever it is- why do cats love boxes so much, anyways?"

The chuckles of the audience brought her back onto task. "I just want to say, Santana, that I honestly don't know where I would be without you. This is for you. Thank you for everything."

Santana stood in the audience, in complete awe of the beautiful blonde who blew her a kiss and turned to walk off the stage while wiping at the tears on her cheeks. Her heart was swollen with love and pride for her amazing wife. She didn't agree with everything Brittany said on the stage. It was Brittany's talent and hard work that got her up on that stage. Santana was just a tool to guide her to where she needed to be in order to make everyone else see how incredible Brittany was.

She didn't even care that her wife had just announced to the world that she was pregnant in her acceptance speech. She joined in the applause honoring Brittany as the blonde exited the stage, and turned, grinning, to accept the congratulations and praise to her for Brittany's win and their pregnancy from the stars and others around her.

Santana wanted nothing more at that moment than to be with her wife instead of getting hugs from Brittany's costars, but she knew that Brittany had to do the whole press thing backstage before she would even be allowed to come back to her seat. And the fact that the awards presentation was almost over had Santana wondering if Brittany would even make it back before the show ended. Especially after the bombshell she just dropped and the questions Santana figured she would be fielding.

Since she was pretty sure she had some time, she departed her seat, mouthing 'thank yous' to people who congratulated her as she walked up the aisle to the doors. She exited and made her way quickly to the restroom, where she could relieve her crying bladder. She'd had to pee for the past hour, but she refused to risk missing Brittany's category. This kid wasn't very far along yet, but already she was peeing all of the time.

Santana caught her reflection in the mirror and cringed at her puffy eyes and tearstained cheeks. She freshened herself up and looked much more presentable before she exited the bathroom and returned to her seat. Brittany still wasn't there, so she sat anxiously awaiting the return of the blonde. All she could do was sit and think of how awesome this night turned out. Brittany had finally been rewarded for all of her hard work on her show, and she couldn't have been more deserving. Santana knew that tonight was going to be one of the best memories of their lives.

It wasn't until just before the final category that Brittany arrived back at her seat. Santana stood up and pulled her into her arms and just held the blonde, who returned her embrace just as tightly.

"I love you, so much," Brittany said quietly into her ear. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Britt," Santana murmured in reply.

Brittany pulled back from the embrace to meet Santana's eyes, and she noticed all of the love and emotion in the beautiful blues. Santana could feel how much all of this meant to Brittany and how much love she had for Santana. It made her heart swell and it felt like it could almost burst out of her chest.

Brittany pressed a soft kiss to her lips, and the teasing calls of her castmates and producers had Brittany breaking it to flip them off. Santana barked out a laugh, and then stood by in pleased contentment as she watched her wife get congratulated by those she worked with.

Once the awards were over, Brittany grasped Santana's hand and they made their way through the throng of people to the exit. Santana noticed a few people trying to catch their eyes, but they all quickly realized that Brittany and Santana wanted to be alone. They said polite goodbyes as they left the venue and got in their limo for the ride back to their hotel.

Santana leaned her head on Brittany's shoulder and the blonde wrapped her arm around her shoulders and held her. It had been a very long, very emotional day, and it was taking its toll on Santana. She started to doze, and startled awake once Brittany murmured to her with a gentle shake that they were at the hotel.

Brittany helped her out of the limo and they walked arm in arm, with Santana leaning into Brittany, into the hotel and up to their suite.

"I am so sorry for blurting that out about the baby," Brittany said once they got into the bedroom and started to remove all of the glitz and glamor they had adorned for the awards.

Santana was standing in front of the dresser mirror and locked eyes with her wife as the blonde's arms slipped around her waist from behind.

"I know we were going to wait until you really started to show to announce the pregnancy, but you are past the first trimester and I just wasn't thinking. I was so happy and excited and my mouth got ahead of my brain," Brittany rambled, an apologetic look in her eyes.

Santana just smiled softly at her. "Baby, it's okay," she said sincerely. "I know we were going to try to wait as long as possible, but I am just as happy with the way it turned out. Because I know how happy you are about the baby and it kind of got all mixed up with how happy you were at winning and it came out. Besides, I know how often your mouth blurts out things."

She scrunched her nose up teasingly at Brittany, who bit her lip on a smile. Her blue eyes were sparkling with joy, and Santana knew that it was much more than happiness at winning an Emmy.

"I can't help it," Brittany defended. "My brain works differently. And you know I've wanted to shout it to everyone from the rooftops since we found out you were pregnant, so I guess I should have known I wouldn't have been able to hold out."

Santana chuckled at Brittany's unapologetic smirk. She turned in Brittany's arms and wrapped hers around the blonde's neck as she smiled up at her. "I am pretty glad you made it as long as you did," she teased. "But you've been pretty great about everything baby related so far, so I guess I could indulge you in the way you announced it."

It was true. Ever since Santana's positive pregnancy test, Brittany was like superwife. She tried to wait on Santana hand and foot, much to Santana's amusement. She did her best to stop Brittany from going overboard, but she had to admit that she kind of liked it every once in awhile. Santana's favorite thing, however, was the way Brittany would lay her head on Santana's belly every night and talk to the baby. It started the day they found out and continued every day without fail. It just made Santana's heart melt into a big puddle.

"So does that mean we can really start shopping for some baby things now?" Brittany asked excitedly.

Santana laughed and nodded. "I guess so, blabbermouth. We don't have anything to hide anymore."

Brittany grinned and leaned down for a kiss. It started soft, but quickly turned more passionate. Santana's tongue teased Brittany's as she tangled her fingers in blonde hair. She nipped at Brittany's lips before whispering hotly against her lips, "I think we should celebrate the night's events properly."

"Oh, yeah?" Brittany murmured, her voice low with desire.

Santana started to nod again, only to be blindsided by a huge yawn. Her jaw popped with how wide her mouth opened, and Brittany looked at her in surprise before she burst out laughing.

"Alright, sexy mama," Brittany said in amusement. "I think it is bedtime for you and the baby."

Santana pouted, disappointed that Brittany wasn't going to go along with the sexy times. "But Britt," she protested.

Brittany just shook her head and gave her a teasing, but firm, look. "Come on," she began as she started to slip Santana's dress off of her. "I know you are exhausted."

Her point was proven when Santana yawned again. Santana huffed in resignation but helped Brittany in removing her clothes and her hair from the complicated updo she had it in. Brittany slipped a baggy shirt over Santana's head, which was her choice of sleepwear now that her breasts were tender from the pregnancy.

"Go wash your face and brush your teeth," Brittany demanded. "It's time to sleep. You can congratulate me properly in the morning."

Santana shuffled toward the bathroom to do as she said, throwing a sexy wink over her shoulder at her wife. She heard Brittany chuckle behind her as she entered the bathroom. Once she came back out, she found Brittany in some shorts and a tank top, all ready for bed herself. Brittany kissed Santana's cheek as she passed her on the way to the bathroom. Santana crawled into bed and sighed blissfully. As much as she loved making love with her wife, her body craved sleep more right now. She felt a little guilty about it, but Brittany wasn't too upset so she didn't feel too badly.

Santana grinned when Brittany climbed onto the bed and immediately went to lay her head on Santana's stomach. She rested her hand on Brittany's head, threading her fingers through blonde hair as her wife settled comfortably.

"Hi, baby," Brittany cooed to her still flat tummy. "I know you were with us all day today, but it was a big, big day. I won an award for my show. I couldn't believe it!"

Santana grinned at Brittany's legitimate shock at her win. She would argue with her, but she wanted to listen to Brittany talk to their baby more.

Brittany's hand rubbed gently over Santana's belly as she continued to talk. "And I accidentally told everyone that you are in your mommy's belly. It was on TV and everything. Everybody was just as excited as we are about you, so I think it turned out okay."

"Your other mommy just couldn't help herself," Santana chimed in. "But it most definitely is okay, because we are really excited."

Santana could feel Brittany's cheek bunch up in a grin against her stomach. "So it was a big day, and your mommy is really tired. And I think you are, too, little baby. So goodnight, my little love."

Brittany pressed a kiss to her stomach before she crawled up Santana's body to give her a soft, sweet goodnight kiss.

Santana cupped Brittany's cheek and caressed it gently with her thumb as they pulled apart. Brittany rested her forehead against Santana's and they looked into each other's eyes.

"Congratulations, Brittany. And thank you, for everything," Santana said, her chest tight with emotion.

Brittany knew exactly what Santana meant. She smiled lovingly at Santana. "It's a good thing we found each other, isn't it?"

Santana returned her smile, feeling exactly the same. "The best possible thing," she stated. "I love you."

"I love you, Santana."

Brittany kissed her again, a little harder but no less caring. When she pulled away this time, she settled into bed and pulled Santana into her arms. It was Santana's favorite place to be. Santana's body softened into her wife's embrace, her head upon Brittany's chest, and wrapped an arm around the blonde's waist. She was already fighting to keep her eyes open.

Once Brittany's hand started to soothingly rub her back, she gave up on the fight. This had been an amazing day. One of the best since Brittany had come into her life. And it was even that much better for Brittany. Santana couldn't help but think of how different things would have been had she not taken the risk to follow her heart. Her lips turned up into a hint of a smile as she started to drift off, safe and comfortable in Brittany's arms.

It was all definitely worth it.

 **A/N: So there you guys have it! This is the official end to this story. I hope you all enjoyed it and that it wasn't too much of a disappointment in the ending. I know it seemed kind of sudden, but it was really all I had for this one. Like I said, this was more of a traditional romance story so I kind of followed those rules with the flow of the plot. But anyways, I am glad you all joined me on this journey, and I appreciate all of the support and comments! :)**

 **Having said that, I do have some news. This will be my last story. My life is seriously too busy and full of changes at the moment to continue to spend time on writing fics. I had planned on taking a long break anyways, but things in my life kind of took over and the break has had to become more of a permanent thing. I am not saying that I will NEVER write again, but as of this time I have no plans of writing anything new for quite awhile. I know some of you were hoping that I had more up my sleeve and that I had more stories coming, and I am sorry to disappoint you with this news. But I need to do what is best for me, and right now that is concentrating on myself and other priorities.**

 **I just want to say a big, heartfelt THANK YOU to all of you who have followed me through my stories. When I first wrote Dreams, I never thought anybody would ever read my stuff. I wrote it for me. Then I followed up with Dreamcatcher, and I was surprised that so many people were getting into it. A Second Life was something that I needed to write. And I absolutely was astonished by the amount of people who were enjoying the story or were touched by it. And following it up with Worth the Risk has given me that much more joy in how many people I was able to give a little bit of enjoyment to. I have loved getting to respond to your reviews and appreciated the conversations I have been able to have with many of you. Even more than that, I will cherish the friendships I have made from many of you who have taken the time to get to know me a little bit better. I honestly don't know what I would do without some of you in my life.**

 **Writing these fics has given me something that I really needed. I accomplished a goal I had had for a very long time. And I spread knowledge and happiness, too. So I hate that I have to leave it behind. All I can say now is, maybe someday you will hear from me again. If not, it has been great! :)**


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